EEPORT OF CATTLE COMMISSIONERS. 397 



obscurity :ind uncertainty, and presents such apparently 

 insurmountable obstacles to its eradication, that we have 

 made no direct attempts to combat it ; l)ut some of our citi- 

 zens, to rid their herds and premises of the pest, have, dur- 

 ing the past year, destro^^ed many thousand dollars worth 

 of cattle. It may not be beyond the limits of our duty, 

 and result in some good, if we here make mention of a dis- 

 ease which made its appearance in Methuen, causing tiie 

 death of several animals and leading the community to fear 

 the presence of contagion. A post mortem disclosed the 

 fact of intense inflammation of the stomach and l)0wels, and 

 indicated the presence of mineral poison. A portion of a 

 stomach and its contents was sent to Professor Goessmann 

 at the Massachusetts Experiment Station, with the informa- 

 tion that the feed of the animal had been meal and ninety 

 pounds of ensilage per day, and the request that he would 

 test for mineral irritants. In due time Professor Goessmann 

 reported, " We have carefully tested your samples of con- 

 tents of stomach and of corn ensilage. The contents of the 

 stomach are free from any metallic poison, and the corn 

 ensilage contains no extraordinary amount of acid. Corn 

 ensilage ought not to be fed in such large quantities, thirt}"^- 

 five to forty pounds per day with hay and grain or shorts 

 gives the best results, so far as the flow of milk and the 

 general good condition of the cows are concerned." The 

 report indicated clearly that the mucus inflammation was 

 caused by the acid in the large quantity of the ensilage fed ; 

 and lessening the amount the trouble disappeared. 



Glandeus. 

 The disease known as glanders or farcy has prevailed to 

 a greater extent than in any previous year. Seventy-five 

 animals have been condemned and destroyed by this Board, 

 and many individual owners who were convinced their 

 animals were infected with the disease have caused them 

 to be killed without the intervention of the law. But all 

 horse owners are not careful of their own safety or that of 

 the public, and in our attempts to eradicate the disease we 

 have had many obstacles to contend with. In many of our 

 cities the nuuiicipal officers utterly disn^gard the specitic 



