SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
G45 
would be more practical before the annual sprinp" session at 
Philadelphia. 
Report of the Co^nmittee on Legislation. —Dr. Leonard Pear¬ 
son, as chairman of the Committee on Legislation, in a verbal 
report, in effect,^ said : One difficulty encountered by the State 
Live Stock Sanitary Board in its efforts to deal with the sup¬ 
pression and prevention of tuberculosis, in the past year, was 
how to prevent the disease from being reintroduced on premises 
by cattle brought from other States or counties for dairy or 
breeding purposes. In other words, how were we to protect our 
cattle interest against a supply being brought from an infected 
source. It had been suggested that legislation be secured to 
control the admission of cattle into the State, admitting only 
such as could be shown to be free from tuberculosis. Such a 
law had since been enacted. It provides that cattle coming into 
the vState, to be used for dairy and breeding purposes, must un¬ 
dergo the tuberculin test before admission. The test maybe 
made at the most convenient stockyards on the line of railroad 
over which the cattle are shipped, or in quarantine. The law 
takes effect January i, 1898. Said law is enforced by the Live 
Stock Sanitary Board, and a fine of fifty dollars is imposed for 
its infringement. In flagrant cases of its violation the punish¬ 
ment may extend to imprisonment. But the details of the 
rnethod of enforcing the law and of inspection and reporting 
violation, etc., had not been fully developed, but would be 
brought to completion in the near future. 
Dr. Pearson declared that this law was a necessity. It was 
not a newddea, for other States had adopted similar measures, 
and required the tuberculin test. Of the New England States 
this is especially true ; and Pennsylvania would not be made a 
dumping ground for diseased animals that could not be disposed 
of in other commonwealths. 
Another measure has been passed appropriating # 15,000 to 
be expended in the investigation of infectious and contagious 
diseases. The value of the live stock interest of Pennsylvania 
^gg^egates approximately #125,000,000. The loss sustained 
through contagious diseases is enormous, and is expressed in 
millions. The object of this measure is to lessen these great 
losses by prevention of the plagues that produce them. But 
the particular purpose is to prevent tuberculosis. It would 
5 eem a prodigious task to apply the tuberculin test to all the 
cattle in this State.‘ -r It wquld be irnpqssible from the stand¬ 
point of cost. To prevent the ‘malady would appear to be the 
