IG BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Mr. S. PI. Bigelow, whose farm lay near that of Mr. C. P. 

 Huntingtoii, were found in a bad condition. Their greatest, 

 though not the only exposure, is believed to have been from 

 Huntington's sick cattle, driven at different times past the 

 barnyard in which Bigclow's oxen had been kept. This case 

 of Bigelow was regarded as a very alarming one, showing the 

 exceeding contagiousness of the disease ; for if the herd could 

 be so fatally infected, under such circumstances, it was almost 

 certain that the disease had been extensively propagated. 



Another fact of great significance was soon presented. We 

 have already mentioned that Leonard Stoddard sold a ydke of 

 oxen to Mr. Olmstead, who, after keeping them for five days, 

 sold them to W. F. Doane. A few days afterwards, namely, 

 on December 19th, Mr. Doane joined them with a team of 

 twenty-four yoke of oxen, to remove a building from Oakham 

 to North Brookfield. Investigation satisfied the surgeons that 

 nearly all the cattle connected with this large team took the 

 infection, and communicated it to the different herds to which 

 they belonged. This opened a wide field of exposure, and 

 caused the destruction of many cattle. 



Another cause of extensive mischief, was the sale and disper- 

 sion of Curtis Stoddard's herd by the auction before alluded to. 

 These cattle were purchased by several different persons ; and, 

 at the time, appeared well. No suspicion was felt by purchaser 

 or seller, that any contagious disease was here concealed. This 

 was evident from the readiness with which bids were made ; 

 and, from the fact, that Mr. Stoddard reserved the most 

 valualjlc animals of his stock, which, as he was breaking up 

 his farm-establishment, he placed, for keeping, in the herds of 

 his friends, his father, his father-in-law, and liis uncle. It 

 proved, however, when investigation was made, that the disease 

 did exist extensively among these cattle. When killed, some 

 of them, especially hie own, were found to be deeply infected. 



The Commissioners used their best efforts to trace out all 

 cases of exposure ; and, so far as possible, to exterminate all 

 herds in which the disease was clearly manifested ; the latter 

 being a question which they always referred to their professional 

 advisers. They were resolved to execute the law in the most 

 efficient manner ; and to extirpate the disease, if that were 

 possible. 



