384 
JOHN M. PARKER. 
“ The Commissioners decided to begin this systematic ex¬ 
amination in the counties of Nantucket, Duke sand Barnsta¬ 
ble. These counties were chosen because of their natural 
position and because “ they are comparatively small, contain 
but few animals, presumably as healthy as any in the State, 
and that the small appropriation would be practically ex¬ 
hausted by the time the examination of the cattle within these 
limits could be completed. 
“ At the time of the making of their report the Commis¬ 
sioners had completed the examination, under this order, of 
all animals in the island of Nantucket, and they report that 
the result in the island has been very satisfactory; that of 
six hundred and sixty-five animals examined, only six have 
been found diseased.” 
The summary of their work for two months shows that at 
the Brighton examination, 89 or about 6.21 per cent, of all 
animals examined, were tuberculous, while at Nantucket 6 
were tuberculous, or less than 1 per cent., the low percent¬ 
age in these counties being due probably to their isolated 
position, and to the employment of simpler methods of keep¬ 
ing and feeding the dairy stock. 
In January of the present year, the appropriation of 
$100,000 having been expended, along with the $50,000 al¬ 
lowed the Commissioners by the Governor, the Commissioners 
applied for a largely increased appropriation, with increased 
powers to carry on the work begun in November, 1894; and 
in his inaugural address the Governor outlined the work pro¬ 
posed to be done by the Commissioners. He said : “ The 
vast importance of the work now undertaken under the law, 
of 1894 by the Cattle Commission cannot be overrated. A 
great crisis confronts us. * * * The alarming spread of 
tuberculosis is confined in great measure to the last ten years. 
The vigorous and systematic measures now adopted are simi¬ 
lar to those employed when pleuro-pneumonia invaded Massa¬ 
chusetts. * * *• In such legislation as may be enacted 
1 know that your wisest care and best judgment will be exer¬ 
cised, and that no backward steps will be taken.” 
And in February, at the hearings before the joint Senate 
