No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS. 531 



August 2, one from the carload arriving August 9, — which 

 sickened and died. 



Specimens from the spleens and kidneys of two of these 

 cows were examined by Dr. Langdon Frothingham, and the 

 organism of Texas fever found to be present ; the diagnosis 

 was confirmed by Dr. Theobold Smith. 



As soon as it became clear to the Cattle Commission that 

 it had an outbreak of Texas fever to deal with, the following 

 notice was sent to the principal shippers of cattle from New 

 York State into Massachusetts : — 



COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



Board of Cattle Commissioners, 

 Commonwealth Building, Boston, Aug. 27, 1897. 



Dear Sir : — It having come to the notice of the Massachusetts 

 Cattle Commission that cows brought from certain localities in 

 New York State, and sold at Union Market, Watertown, and the 

 stock yards, Brighton, have in some instances died of Texas cattle 

 fever after being taken away by purchasers, we would notify you 

 of the above facts, and warn you against bringing in any cattle 

 from New York State until the 1st of October, except beef cattle 

 to be killed at the slaughter houses. 



Yours truly, Austin Peters, 



Chairman. 



The leading agricultural papers were also requested to 

 make the matter public, which they did at once, and intend- 

 ing purchasers were informed that there was a risk in buying 

 New York State cows. The result was that the importation 

 of cattle from New York State into Massachusetts was prac- 

 tically stopped for the time being, and it became pretty 

 certain that the trouble was traceable to the stock yards at 

 West Albany ; such cattle as were shipped into Massachusetts 

 from New York State were sent around a northern route by 

 way of the Vermont Central Railroad, until the weather be- 

 came so cold that there was no more dang-er to cattle coming 

 through the West Albany stock yards. 



Owing to these precautions, the loss of animals was con- 

 fined to the three carloads mentioned in Dr. Curtice's report. 



From Dr. Cooper Curtice's report it may be seen that the 

 point where the New York State cows became infected was 



