No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS. 467 



September 14 he quarantined two pastures owned by 

 Charles J. Abbott. No new cases being reported from 

 these pastures, the quarantines were ordered removed 

 October 11. 



There was an outbreak of blackleg in one pasture in 

 Ashby, probably of a similar character to those appearing 

 in other places ; the following correspondence will give a 

 sufficient history of it : — 



Ashby, Mass., Aug. 14, 1900. 

 Dr. Peters. 



Dear Sir : — I was called this morning to make an autopsy on 

 a heifer that was found dead in the pasture. On making inquiries, 

 I find that this is the third one within the same number of weeks. 

 The heifer was very badly decomposed, but I made the autopsy 

 as best I could, and found it was blackleg or symptomatic 

 anthrax. I did not know before that the commission had any- 

 thing to do with that disease, but read in your report that you 

 came up here two years ago to see some cattle belonging to a 

 John Wright in Ashburnham. I thought I would let you know, 

 and you can do as you like about it. I examined the rest of the 

 cattle in the pasture, of which there were thirty-three, and found 

 them all right ; part of them are young stock. As the carcass 

 was in such a condition, I had it burned. 



I have forgotten to say that these cattle are in the pasture 

 belonging to Mr. Woodard of Ashby. 



Yours in haste, C. B. Shaw. 



Dr. H. D. Clark of Fitchburg was telephoned to investi- 

 gate this trouble, and Dr. Shaw was written to that this 

 had been done. The following letters are reports of Dr. 

 Clark's visits : — 



Fitchburg, M.\ss., Aug. 16, 1900. 

 Dr. Austin Peters. 



Dear Sir : — I went to Ashby yesterday, and saw Dr. Shaw. 

 Dr. Shaw told me there were no new cases of sickness or death 

 among Mrs. AVoodard's cattle, and that all those that had died had 

 been buried or burned. The only one Dr. Shaw saw had been 

 dead three days, so he could not make much of an examination. 



I drove over to Mrs. Woodard's pasture this afternoon, and saw 

 the cattle, thirty-two of them, and all well. The cattle are to be 

 seen every day, and if there is further trouble Dr. Shaw will be 



