382 
JOHN M. PARKER. 
tered and to insure that only healthy animals are brought intc 
the State. The Board encountered many difficulties in thi 
portion of their work. To carry out their ideas, it was nec 
essary to quarantine the State, and prohibit the importatioi 
of cattle from other States, unless they had previously un 
dergone the tuberculin test. Agents were appointed to tak< 
charge of this work at Brighton and Watertown markets when 
all animals were “subjected to the test before being offeree 
for sale.” 
In applying the tuberculin test to this class of cattle in 
numerable difficulties were encountered. In referring to thi 
matter the Commissioners in their Annual Repor tpoint ou 
that “ these cattle are collected from different localities ant 
brought together for the first time. They have been put intc 
crowded cars, have suffered the excitement attending an un 
usual journey, have probably received their food and wate 
at irregular periods, and in ever}^ possible way have beei 
subjected to conditions utterly foreign to their ordinary ex 
istence. Neat stock are not mere machines, but are excitabl* 
animals, materially affected bv unusual conditions. Anothe 
significant fact in relation to the cows brought to these mar 
kets is, that they generally are or are about to be new milchers 
and it is within the knowledge of all who have had practica 
experience in this direction that this greatly increases thei 
nervous sensibilities, and experiment shows that this actuall; 
has a direct effect on their internal temperature.” 
The Commissioners further say : “ An examination of thi 
tests at these markets has proved to the satisfaction of th 
Commission that all of these abnormal conditions have ver 1 
materially complicated the temperature tables, as a result o 
which they have made a few mistakes in arriving at thei 
conclusions.” 
An examination of the tests “ covering the first six week 
of the work,” will show that 6.21 per cent, of all animals ol 
fered for sale at the markets have been shown to be tubercr 
lous. 
The commissioners further report that “ fewer errors oc 
curred in the last three weeks than during the earlier exper: 
