410 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



on some, if not all, and they were sold at the auction with the 

 other man's certificate. At the sale the statement was given out 

 that Dr. Bridge did not test all the animals, as quite a little bunch 

 was overlooked until after he had gone, and therefore they had 

 been tested by another doctor. Several cattle from this sale were 

 brought into Massachusetts, but all had been tested by Dr. Bridge. 

 If any tested by the other man had been shipped into the State 

 they would have been held and retested by the Cattle Commission, 

 with, I believe, interesting results. 



The Bureau of Animal Industry is in the best position to obtain 

 honest tuberculin tests, as it holds the cattle in quarantine at the 

 port of entry and has its own agents to test them, and therefore 

 knows the work is honestly done. 



The greatest obstacle to the enforcement of laws or regula- 

 tions requiring" a tuberculin test in the inter-State cattle traffic is 

 dishonesty. 



First, there are the avarice and lack of honesty among some 

 cattle dealers and drovers, which lead them to object to the test, 

 because it interferes with their profits. 



Secondly, the dishonesty of certain veterinarians, who disgrace 

 and dishonor a profession which should be a useful and honorable 

 one, by claiming to be members of it. 



Possibly there is more excuse for the cattlemen, as many of 

 them think tuberculin is a humbug, that the test is of no value, 

 and that these regulations are a passing fashion, — not come to 

 stay. I do not wish it to be understood that I regard all our 

 cattle dealers and drovers as dishonest or dishonorable, as there 

 are a number of men among them of the strictest integrity and re- 

 liability, but it is greatly to be deplored that many of them are not. 



The veterinarians ought to know better than to do dishonest 

 work, and should be glad to co-operate with the authorities in any 

 State in diminishing a scourge to the farmer, even though too 

 many farmers are so ignorant and short-sighted as to fail to ap- 

 preciate what is being done for them. As to the danger to the 

 public health, I think that is a matter that has been overesti- 

 mated. The attempt to terrorize the community with the dangers 

 of the use of dairy products on account of tuberculosis, by certain 

 veterinarians whom the people have suspected of wanting sal- 

 aries, has done much to cause a reaction against the work and to 

 lead to a lack of confidence in the profession, such as is so well 

 exemplified in the legislation already alluded to in the State of 

 Connecticut. Much of the trouble seems to be due to a lack of 

 honesty among certain dishonorable members of the profession. 



