Contagion Through Visitors 27 



the steward's cow had been attacked, and finally they, as 

 well as the farmer's cows, almost without exception con- 

 tracted the plague, showing clearly that they had not 

 acquired that immunity which comes from a previous 

 attack of this affection. The facts recorded are vouched 

 tor by the author, who was resident on The Pleasants at 

 the time and personally watched the developments. 

 These facts will warrant but one conclusion, viz. : that 

 the infection was carried by the steward's son who was 

 in daily attendance on the sick cattle at Pitcox, and 

 weekly visited his father's cow at The Pleasants. 



2. William "Walker of Quincy, Mass., was present at 

 Squantum when cattle suffering from Lung Plague were 

 slaughtered there by order of the Commissioners. He 

 closely examined portions of the diseased lungs and 

 walked through the blood of the slain animals. He then 

 rode home a mile and a half, went to his barn and fed 

 his cattle. These in due time developed the disease. 

 He sold two of liis cattle to E. B. Taylor, and of his herd 

 of 21 all but three fell victims to the pestilence. (See 

 Report of Cattle Commissioners of Massachusetts for 

 1863). 



3. In February, 1879, when we began the stamping-out 

 of the plague on Long Island, a gentleman of the name 

 of Ditmas Jewel took a great interest in the welfare of 

 the suffering milkmen, and visited one or more of the 

 worst-infected stables daily. He owned one favorite 

 family cow, a Jersey, which was kept alone in a private 

 stable, separated by ample grounds from all adjacent 

 herds. She was never removed from these premises, nor 

 were other cattle admitted, yet, towards the end of March, 

 she sickened, and soon perished, presenting the most 

 characteristic lung-plague lesions. 



These cases are conclusive, as in no one instance was 

 there any possibility of direct contact with sick animals, 

 while in all there was the mediate contact through the per- 

 sons and clothes of the visitors. 



