516 
SOCIE'lY MEETINGS. 
animals by the various States. This brought out a very lively 
discussion by members on the subject as applying to New York 
State. The anomalous Tuberculosis Commission came in for 
its share of criticism, it being conclusively shown that the 
drawing of the salaries of its members is the only consistent 
and persistent act which they perform. They nominally have 
charge of tuberculosis in cattle and glanders in horses ; all other 
diseases of these animals, and all diseases in other animals are 
under control of the Board of Health, or Commissioner of Agri¬ 
culture, or neither, or both—or which ? Dr. O’Dea recited the 
details of an outbreak of a most fatal disease in a flock of 250 
sheep which, upon post-mortem, resembled very much tubercu¬ 
losis ; about sixty had died within a few weeks, and, desiring 
State authorities to take charge of this dangerous disease, both 
to the community and the live-stock interests, he wrote Dr. 
Kelly, of Albany, asking to whom he should apply, to which 
the latter replied that the Tuberculosis Commission seemed to 
be the properly vested authority. Communicating with this 
body he was informed that their jurisdiction did not extend to 
members of the ovine family, and that the doctor must ask the 
Board of Health to come to his rescue. Following his latest 
instructions, he laid his case before that august body, only to be 
told that he had been misinformed, and that by applying to the 
Commissioner of Agriculture his prayer would be heard. The 
latter gentleman showed him the error of his w 7 ay, and said that 
no one had a right to usurp the powers of the Tuberculosis 
Commission by interfering in matters coming under its super¬ 
vision. By this time many more sheep were dead and the 
doctor was getting tired of circulating, so he asked the State 
society to direct him how to proceed ; this the society found 
too great a task, and Dr. O’Dea was still groping about when 
the meeting adjourned. Are there no committees of the Legis¬ 
lature who care to take up this case, and do their duty to the 
agricultural and live stock interests of the State ? How long 
is the farce to be kept up ? Why does not the Tuberculosis 
Commission cease to exist, and why don’t the Empire State 
have a body of intelligent men to look after such matters, 
under the advice and cooperation of a State veterinarian ? 
Dr. M. R. Trumbower is enjoying an increasing practice 
in human medicine at Monett, Mo. He still, however, takes a 
lively interest in his first love, evidenced by sending in his sub¬ 
scription to the Review. 
