EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
719 
which records the history of the outbreak of the malady, bear¬ 
ing as it does on the main question of the extension of pleuro¬ 
pneumonia by contagion. 
HISTORY OF THE INTRODUCTION OF THE DISEASE. 
“ In 1847, the distemper was introduced into this country 
from England, by a farmer in New Jersey, Mr. Thomas 
Richardson. He discovered it among his imported stock, and 
before other herds were exposed. Knowing the malignant 
type of the disease, he immediately killed his whole stock , 
valued at $10,000, a most noble act. He lately wrote to a 
gentleman in Massachusetts that the only way to get rid of 
the malady is to kill every herd which has been exposed. 
Some of the farmers in his neighbourhood assert that the 
disease has been conveyed by moving the hay from a barn 
where the cattle were diseased. 
“ On the 23d of May, 1839, the distemper was brought 
into Massachusetts by four cows, imported direct from 
Holland by Winthrop W. Chenery, of Belmont, about six 
miles from Boston. These cows were black, thick-skinned, 
large, and said to be great milkers. On landing they appeared 
hungry, thirsty and neglected, and one of them, it is said, 
had not been on her legs for twenty days. Two of these 
cows were so feeble that they had to be carted to Belmont. 
A few days after their arrival, on the 31st of May, one of the 
cows died. On the 2d of June a second died; and on the 
30th of June a third died. The fourth is now alive and doing 
well. In all, Mr. Chenery has within a year lost twenty- 
seven head of cattle, of other importations, then on his 
premises. The disease was not supposed to be contagious, and 
was attributed to local causes. 
“ In June, 18.59, three grade Dutch calves were purchased 
from Mr. Chenery by Mr. Stoddart, of North Brookfield ; 
as they were being taken there, one of the calves appeared 
to falter, and gave evidence of physical disability. The dis¬ 
temper with which the animal was affected was at once com¬ 
municated to the cattle in the vicinity, and it has since 
raged there wfith fatal violence. A district about twelve 
miles square, from which, at this time last summer, large 
quantities of butter and cheese were made for the Boston 
market, is almost destitute of cattle. 
“The distemper began to extend its ravages, and in April, 
just prior to the adjournment of the legislature of Massa¬ 
chusetts, an act was passed, appointing three commissioners, 
with authority to take such action as would, it was hoped, 
circumscribe and extirpate the disease. They were 
