VETERINARY LEGISLATION. 
285 
not, or whether an epidemie exists or not, or independent of the 
fact whether the Governor has issued a proclamation or not. But 
in all such cases, the State Veterinarian must be backed by the 
order of at least one of the two persons called by him in consul¬ 
tation. This clause of the section, however, lias reference only 
to animals that have been exposed to contagion, not to those 
actually diseased. The latter clause of the section declares that 
the State Veterinarian “shall not order the slaughter of any ani¬ 
mals not actually diseased without a written order signed by 
one or both of said veterinarians,” etc. 
Applying the ordinary rule of statutory construction to this 
clause, viz : inclusio nunis, exclusio alterius , the clause would 
read: the State Veterinarian may order the slaughter of animals 
actually diseased, but not those merely expos, d, without the order, 
etc. In construing statutes, also, every word and phrase must be 
given some value, as it cannot be presumed that the Legislature 
used unnecessary or unmeaning words in a law. Therefore, no 
other meaning can be given these words “ shall not order the 
slaughter of animals not actually diseased without,” etc., except 
that he may order their slaughter, if actually diseased, without 
an order, etc. I am therefore of the opinion that the State 
Veterinarian may order slaughtered all animals named in the law 
of 1883, viz : horses, mules and asses that are in fact diseased 
with the glanders, of his own motion, and that he may order 
slaughtered all animals exposed to contagion from said disease, 
if ordered to do so by one or both of the reputable veterinarians 
or practicing physicians whom he may call into consultation with 
him. On the next question submitted by you, as to when it is 
necessary to call upon the two reputable veterinarians or prac¬ 
ticing physicians, I may add that, it is not necessary, in any case, 
except when you may deem it ad visible to order slaughtered, 
animals exposed but not actually diseased. 
This law and the amendment thereto is an effort on the part 
of the Legislature to put in force the police power of the State, 
to prevent the spread of pleuro-pneumonia among the cattle of 
the State, and glanders amcng the horses, and no one can doubt 
that it was high time that this should be done, when we learn 
that the markets of Europe have been closed to our cattle, be- 
