CONTAGIOUS DISEASES IN KANSAS. 
125 
withstanding he was ably seconded by many members of the Leg¬ 
islature, no action was taken further than the introduction of two 
bills. Of these two bills one was drawn almost similar in its pro¬ 
visions to the laws now in operation in Wyoming Territory and 
the State of Illinois. The salary was named at $3,000 per year, 
with a contingent fund of $2,000 per year. But this provision 
was so modified by the committee to which the bill was lefeiied, 
that had it passed the law would have been practically inopera¬ 
tive for the want of an officer with sufficient ability to fill the 
position. Further, other provisions were so modified that even 
an able officer could have accomplished but little or no good. ( So, 
for two more years we are left to the ravages of all the diseases 
which may affect our animals, without any hope of relief from 
our authorities. That we are not in imminent danger from the 
importation of diseases new to ns, may be true; but we have not 
been wise enough to adopt such precautions as might prevent the 
introduction of pleuro-pneumonia, foot and mouth disease, or other 
contagious disorders. Still worse, we are utterly at the mcicy of 
these diseases should they be introduced; for we are without 
means by which to detect their introduction, and without meas¬ 
ures to prevent their spread. That foreign cattle are coming to 
our State in considerable numbers is known to all; that they are 
free from contagious diseases we have no satisfactory assurance. 
But even were we free from outside danger in this regard, we 
need relief from the losses inflicted by the diseases we already 
have. With $60,000,000 worth of live stock in the State, we 
have, I am informed, but one graduated veterinarian in civil 
practice, and yet I am aware of large yearly losses from glanders, 
farcy, anthrax, hog cholera, tuberculosis, cerebro spinal-meningitis, 
scab, Texas fever, contagious ophthalmia, and (so report says) hy¬ 
drophobia. Of course, the veterinarian who must depend on 
private practice for a living can do but little for the sanitary po¬ 
licing of the State, and his accidental contact with diseases is about 
the limit of his influence with regard to their suppression. Prac¬ 
tically there are no reliable statistics in the State of. the losses 
from the various diseases, nor will there be until educated veter¬ 
inary surgeons have the opportunity to investigate their frequency, 
extent and mortality. 
