Lung Plague in Massachusetts. 



herd it spread to others adjacent and speedily infected 

 the whole west end of the island, as wiU be noticed later 

 at greater length. 



Into Massachusetts the plague was introduced on the 

 23d of July, 1859, in the bodies of four Dutch cows, im- 

 ported by Wiathrop W. Chenery, of Belmont, near Bos- 

 ton. These cows were procured from Purmerend and the 

 Beemster, and were kept in stables for several days at 

 the port of Rotterdam — an infected city — before being 

 put on board the vessel. They were shipped April 6th, 

 passed forty-seven days at sea, and were ill during the 

 last twenty days, one of the number having been unable 

 to stand. On landing two were able to walk to the farm, 

 while the other two had to be carried in wagons. The 

 worst cow was killed May 31st, and the second died June 

 2d. The third did well till June 20th, when she was severe- 

 ly attacked and died in ten days. The fourth recovered. 

 On August 20th another cow, imported in 1852, sickened 

 and died in a few days, and others followed in rapid suc- 

 cession. 



In the first week of September Mr. Chenery isolated 

 his herd, and declined all offers to purchase, being now 

 convinced that he was dealing with the Bovine Lung 

 Plague of Europe. 



Unfortunately, on June 23d he had sold three calves to 

 Curtis Stoddard, of North Brookfield, Worcester Co., one 

 of which was noticed to be sick on the way to Curtis's 

 farm. Several days later Leonard Stoddard (father of 

 Curtis) took this calf to his farm to cure it, and kept it 

 in his barn with forty cattle for four days, when he re- 

 turned it to his son. It died August 20th. Curtis Stod- 

 dard lost no more until November 1st, when he sold 

 eleven young cattle to as many different purchasers, and 

 wherever these went the disease was developed. Id one 

 case more than 200 cattle were infected by one of these 

 Stoddard heifers. Of the nine cattle which he retained, 

 seven were killed and found to be badlv diseased. 



