No. 4.] CATTLE COMMISSIONERS' REPORT. 377 



island has been very satisfactory ; that of six hundred and 

 sixty-five animals examined only six have been found diseased, 

 and this disease was found in the bodies of animals which had 

 either been imported to Nantucket from the main land or in 

 those that had been in cohabitation with such animals ; and 

 that, while the farmers had lost so few cattle, it has apparently 

 resulted in a considerable increase in the value of their stock, 

 as the cattle there are now held at prices nearly thirty-three per 

 cent, hiiiher than before this examination was be^un. 



The field work was placed in charge of Commissioner Den- 

 nen, who with a corps of eight assistants went to Nantucket, 

 and, after conferring with the local inspector, divided the island 

 into sections, selected for convenience, having due regard to the 

 distribution of the cattle as far as could be ascertained. The 

 examination of every animal on the island was then proceeded 

 with, following minutely the detail given in this report under 

 the head of the tuberculin test. 



One of the main difficulties which has been met with by the 

 commission is that of obtaining a sufficient number of compe- 

 tent men to perform the work in the field. The Board has 

 always followed the plan of selecting only such persons as are 

 thoroughly competent, and who have had considerable previous 

 experience in the application of the test. It should be remem- 

 bered that a carefully conducted post-mortem examination is 

 made upon the l)ody of every animal which is condemned and 

 killed ; and the Board are very happy to say that these exam- 

 inations have demonstrated the high quality of the work per- 

 formed by these agents. 



The commission has heard complaints from time to time that 

 not only were they sulijecting the animals to a new and unusual 

 test, but that they were being condemned by men of inexperi- 

 ence, and that the owners were suftering from the mistakes of 

 these agents. An examination of the method pursued by the 

 Board will show to any such persons that these complaints are 

 without foundation. Not only is the greatest care used, as 

 already stated, in selecting the agents to apply the test, but in 

 no case have the agents passed upon the existence of the dis- 

 eases or condemned the animal as a result of the test. These 

 agents simply tabulate the result of their own work, and in all 



