76 . BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



the formation of the "big team." Tlicse stags could not have 

 had much time for contracting this disease, as they must liave 

 waited till one of Olmstead's animals had gone through the 

 incubating period. Two days for incubation and propagation 

 beats the Pepperell cow by four days ! This seems to be 

 sufficient reason for believing that the stags did not give the 

 disease to the " big team." Tlius we hope we have found the 

 end of the disease in this direction. 



Warren S. "Wood's herd in South Brookfield, consisted of ten 

 head. A pair of healthy steers was bought of a Mr. Smith of 

 West Brookfield, April 4th, and with the exception of a slight 

 cough, were well. A cow was killed and examined by Dr. 

 Dadd, May 14th, and the lung " pronounced" " hepatized and 

 generally diseased." All the herd are well now, save those 

 killed, (this and the Pepperell cow,) and have never been ill. 

 The " Pepperell" cow was of this herd, stood thirty feet from 

 these steers, separated by a plank partition. This cow left for 

 Pepperell on the morning of the 10th, five days and a half 

 after exposure to the steers, this being the only exposure 

 claimed. She stopped at Holden and Lancaster, where it was 

 supposed she had given the disease. She was killed and said 

 to have had " the disease," but we have been unable, after 

 diligent search to get the records of this case. 



The evidence fails to convince us that this herd had the 

 disease, because there was given no description of the appear- 

 ances noticed in the cow killed by Dr. Dadd on May 14th, 

 because neither the steers nor any other animal in the herd 

 was ever sick, although the time for the development of the 

 disease and the destruction of many animals had been ample. 

 Of course, if the herd did not have the disease the Pepperell 

 cow did not have it. 



The evidence fails to convince us that the Pepperell cow 

 carried the disease to and gave it in Holden, for if Wood's herd 

 had it, six days would be rather a short time in which to con- 

 tract and communicate it. Tlie Dike cow which was said to 

 have taken it of the Pepperell cow failed to give it to Abbot's 

 cow as proved by a post mortem examination by Dr. Martin. 

 Lyman Rice's oxen and Luther Stearns' cow that were exposed 

 to Dike's cow, are alive and well now. 



