No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS' REPORT. 375 



In addition to the large corps of local inspectors appointed 

 throughout the State, the Board also has under its control a 

 corps of agents, directly assisting them in their work of examin- 

 ing suspected cattle. Under section 43 of the act the Board is 

 given the power to "appoint from time to time such officers, 

 agents or assistants as are necessary or expedient to carry out 

 the purposes of the act." 



Prior to the adoption of the tuberculin test by the Board, 

 this power was not exercised by the commission. As soon, 

 however, as they determined to use this test, it was found nec- 

 essary to have a corps of skilled assistants, especially drilled in 

 the method of using tuberculin, in order that the returns upon 

 which the Board are ol^liged to act should he as accurate and 

 reliable as it is possible to make them. They have accordingl}^, 

 from time to time, appointed agents and assistants for this 

 work, until upon December 15 there were thirty-three such 

 agents and assistants so a})pointed and employed by the Board, 

 who receive, while actually engaged in the work, their expenses 

 and a compensation varying from $1,50 to $5 a day. 



At the time of the adoption of the tuberculin test, as the proper 

 method of examining all animals suspected of being tuberculous, 

 the Board were of the opinion that, while its efforts in this 

 direction, as based upon the mere examination of animals re- 

 ported by the inspectors to be tuberculous at isolated points 

 throughout the State, would result in the destruction of actually 

 diseased animals to a considerable extent, it would be of but 

 little service in really cleansing the herds of the State from the 

 disease ; because the animals so examined and selected for the 

 test were only such as appeared to show external symptoms of 

 the disease ; and also because the Board felt, from its experi- 

 ence with the test, that other animals, apparently healthy, were 

 being allowed to go free and spread the contagion. Thus in 

 the end the percentage of diseased animals would be but slightly 

 decreased. 



They were further impressed with the fact that not only were 

 the public interested in the destruction of diseased animals, l)ut 

 the farmers and dairymen were equally interested in having, if 

 possible, some means of assisting them in their purchase of 

 cattle, so that they might be able to replace the animals de- 

 stroyed with others which had successfully passed the test. 



