editorials. 
741 
from one to the other, and vice-versa—all those seem to be 
ignored. And yet who does not know that pleuro-pneumonia 
can be stamped out from bovines, and never be allowed to 
return if proper measures are taken? Tuberculosis, on the con¬ 
trary, can never be entirely extinguished, and, at best, the 
opportunities of its transmissibility to human beings can only be 
diminished, and that only to a very limited extent, and only also 
with the possibility of a temporary check to a new extension. 
These are the facts, which, no doubt, will render the work 
undertaken by some States if not useless at least very unpopular 
and of little advantage and to that account is due, we believe, 
the opposition that is met with in Massachusetts to the smooth 
execution of the work of the cattle commissioners in that 
State. 
From numerous papers which we have received we hear of 
objections and protestations from various parts of that State to 
the work, coming from the farmers and cattle owners. The 
slaughter in Massachusetts, even the test of tuberculine, is ob¬ 
jected to, and application is to be made to the legislature to 
regulate the work in a more suitable manner in the interest of 
the public at large. 
It is not our desire to. criticise at present the work recom¬ 
mended by the honorable chairman of the cattle commission in 
Massachusetts, but we fear that in his enthusiasm, or by higher 
orders, he is obliged to carry out an undertaking which will not 
prove as satisfactory as that carried out in the days when pleuro¬ 
pneumonia existed in that State. 
Doubting, or rather not believing, in the complete eradication 
of tuberculosis, we are of the opinion that milder measures would 
bring on as good results, with less expense and with more 
willingness on the part of the people to assist the authorities in 
carrying out a work the results of which would be beneficial to 
all parties concerned. 
In advancing this humble opinion of ours, we believe that 
we will meet with others, who have great doubts of this house¬ 
cleaning process as done in Massachusetts. Prof. Law, among 
