8 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



On the 20tli of August, one of the Commissioners, in company 

 with the selectmen of West Stoclibridgo, visited Albany, to ex- 

 amine into the nature and extent of the disease prevalent there, 

 and, if need be, to perfect the arrangements to prevent its being 

 brought over our border. The agents of Brighton, Messrs. H. 

 W. Jordan and A. N. Munroe, were found there hard at work, 

 and successfully accomplishing the object of their mission, 

 though the cattle-yards were well stocked with diseased and 

 dying cattle, and there were strong importunities on the part of 

 cattle owners to be allowed to transport their property beyond 

 the limits of the disease. Every facility was afforded us by the 

 authorities in charge of the district to get information respect- 

 ing the disease, and several animals in different stages of its 

 progress were slaughtered, that an opportunity might be afforded 

 us for an examination. Without giving a strictly pathological 

 description of the disease, we deem it not unimportant in this 

 connection to state, in a general way, the appearance of the dis- 

 eased animals, both before and after death. As a general rule, 

 the first symptoms of the disease were a loss of appetite, and 

 desire for isolation or separation from the rest of the herd. The 

 animal soon showed indications of pain and fever, stood with all 

 four feet drawn together under the body, inclined to lie down 

 and get up often, occasionally stretching and turning the muzzle 

 to the side, eyes looking wild, coat staring, horns cold. The 

 urinous discharges of most were of a bloody color, though this 

 discharge in many cases appeared natural and healthy. The 

 fseces were of a slimy or mucous character, and passed with dif- 

 ficulty, and the mouth and tongue inclined to be hot and dry. 

 On being slaughtered, we noticed that the blood of the animals 

 was very thin and watery, and would not color the hand when 

 dipped into it, and apparently without coagulating properties. 

 The surface of all internal viscera, the brain, and the white of 

 the eye, was of a pale yellow color. The organs of the chest 

 appeared healthy, but it was otherwise with those of the abdo- 

 men. The milts, or spleen, in every case, were tliree or four 

 times as large as in a healthy animal, and its texture soft and 

 granulated, tlic kidneys dry and lifeless, the bladder inflamed 

 and distended with a collection of bloody colored water, and in 

 most cases the liver very much enlarged, and the gall bladder 

 contracted and filled with a gelatinous substance. No informa- 



