286 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pul). Doc. 



In doubtful cases the guinea-pig test still proves of great 

 value as an aid in determining the presence or absence of 

 glanders or farcy. The laboratory work has been performed 

 by Dr. Langdon Frothingham at the Harvard Medical School, 

 as it has l)een for several years past. 



Most of the field work has been performed by Dr. Howard 

 P. Rogers, assisted, when necessary, by Dr. Wm. T. White. 



Cases of human glanders have again occurred during the 

 past year, one fatal case occurring in Sutton, where a man 

 contracted the disease from his horse. Another case was 

 that of a young man in Oxford, who was at the Worcester 

 City Hospital for a while, and at last accounts was said to be 

 convalescent. Several cases of "landers occurred among- 

 the horses on the farm of this young man's father, and he 

 uixloubtedly Ijecamc infected from them. 



Several prosecutions have been undertaken during the 

 past year, most of Avhich have resulted in convictions. 



In Worcester a man was prosecuted for neglecting to re- 

 port a case of glanders in his stable, when he undoubtedly 

 knew the horse was diseased. He was convicted, and fined 

 fifty dollars. 



In Fitchburg three horse traders were proceeded against 

 for trading about a })air of glandered horses. The court 

 held that, while the Commonwealth did not prove that these 

 men knew the horses had glanders or farcy, it did show that 

 they had reasonal^le grounds to believe that the animals 

 were suffering from some disorder, and that they should 

 have consulted expert opinion before disposing of them ; 

 and it therefore decided that they were criminally negligent, 

 and imposed a fine of thirty dollars upon each. The de- 

 fendants appealed. Whether the case will be carried to a 

 higlier court or not is not yet known. 



A Watertcnvn man was summoned into court at Waltham 

 upon a complaint accusing him of not reporting a case of 

 glanders in his stable, knowing or having reasonable cause 

 to believe that the animal was suffering from a contagious 

 dis(?ase. In this case the defendant was found not guilty, 

 and discharged. 



Whether farmers and others in the country have profited 

 by the advice in the sixth semiannual report to beware of 



