No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS. 535 



quarantine without further action in regard to other places, as 

 West Albany. 



Moreover, the State law is poorly drawn up, and requires such 

 publication to be made that the department is unwilling to take 

 steps unless the fact of infection of a given place is established. 

 This procedure may do in some kinds of work, but not in conta- 

 gious diseases. The United States Bureau of Animal Industry 

 may take steps to prevent recurrences after Feb. 15, 1898, when a 

 new proclamation will go into effect. They may have felt that 

 further quarantine after the middle of October (by which time the 

 commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture 

 had taken his steps) was unnecessary. For some reason I have 

 yet to learn of any case prosecuted by the Bureau of Animal 

 Industry against carriers for violation of the quarantine law. 



While the losses to cattle owners in Massachusetts and 

 Connecticut were not very heavy, yet in many instances 

 they were incurred by farmers who could ill afford to bear 

 them ; beside which, the quarantine on the Brighton stocl?; 

 yards caused some loss and inconvenience to the Boston & 

 Albany Railroad Company. 



It is to be hoped that such an occurrence may not be per- 

 mitted to take place another season, by requiring the West 

 Albany Stock Yard Company to fit its pens to fulfil the 

 requirements of the Bureau of Animal Industry, and by the 

 Bureau having an agent stationed at this important point. 



In fact, Dr. D. E. Salmon, chief of the United States 

 Bureau of Animal Industry, writes, under date of Novem- 

 ber 2, to the Massachusetts Cattle Commission, in part as 

 follows : — 



I recognize the fact that Albany is an important point to guard, 

 and have intended to have some one stationed there next season, 

 if possible. 



Actinomycosis. 

 During the year a number of cases of actinomycosis, or 

 lumpy jaw, have occurred among the cattle of the State. 

 This disease is caused by a fungus belonging to the mould 

 family. These fungi are called actinomyces because of their 

 star-shaped appearance under the microscope, and the dis- 

 ease is known as actinomycosis. So far as is known, it does 

 not seem to spread to any extent from one animal to another, 



