No. 4.] CATTLK COMMISSIONERS. 397 



animals. The board of aldermen refusing to confirm the 

 mayor's appointment, the mayor requented the commission 

 to make an appointment, as he and the aldermen could not 

 agree on a suitable person ; this was therefore done. 



The inspectors have done very much better work during 

 the past year than they did the year before ; only four have 

 failed to make the annual report required of them, and two 

 of these had good excuses ; while in 1899 the inspectors of 

 animals in twenty-three cities and towns neglected to make 

 the reports they should have made. 



New books were furnished the inspectors last year in 

 which to make their reports, and perhaps one reason for 

 having reports from more towns is due to the books being 

 simpler and the blanks in them more easily filled out. 

 Formerly the inspectors were furnished with a book in 

 which to record the results of their herd inspections and 

 another in which to record the results of the inspection of 

 stables and premises ; now one book is sent, having spaces 

 to fill out, answering questions relative to the animals and 

 premises all on one page ; and the questions asked are fewer 

 and simpler, making the inspectors' task lighter, while the 

 results arrived at are the same. 



The commission takes this opportunity of renewing its 

 thanks to Dr. Theobald Smith, professor of comparative 

 pathology at Harvard University, for the valuable advice 

 and assistance he has ever been so ready to render when they 

 were needed. 



The laboratory work required by the commission during 

 the year 1900 has been performed as usual b}' Dr. Langdon 

 Frothingham at the bacteriological laboratory of the Harvard 

 Medical School, except when he was on his vacation, when 

 Dr. John N. Coolidge took his [)lace. Their services have 

 been fully appreciated, as have also the facilities granted the 

 Board at the Harvard Medical School. 



Financial Statement. 

 During the year ending Dec. 15, 1900, there has been 

 expended by the Cattle Commission, under chapter 408, 

 Acts of 1899, as follows : — 



