34 
F S. BILLINGS. 
such an endeavor could but result in failure—that the authori¬ 
ties were not yet ready for it. To which we answer, that until 
the attempt has been made in earnest, such an answer is but an 
evasion of the point at issue. The Massachusetts Commission are 
very proud, and justty, of the work they did in suppressing con 
tagious pleuro-pneumonia of cattle between 1860 and 1870. But 
they really overestimate the work they did. They forget that 
Massachusetts herself was the centre of invasion, and that they 
had the disease only in Massachusetts to cope with, and were not 
endangered at all by threatened invasions from adjoining States. 
Hence, once stamped out, it remained so, which would scarcely 
have been the case were adjoining States equally invaded. Gland¬ 
ers is a disease very similar in its nature to the cattle distemper, 
but our Commission is almost powerless to prevent its extension. 
The work it does in this regard is far exceeded by the S. P. C. 
A. Association. The reason of this is, that the work is supposed 
to be done by one Commissioner , and the profession at large is 
utterly neglected, nor does it form any part of the State prevent¬ 
ive force. This is the danger the profession would avoid in the 
appointment of a National Commission. What the profession 
demands is, that the veterinary incumbent of such a position shall 
be a man having not only the necessary technical qualifications, 
but also one who will entirely forget himself, save that he will 
put his entire self into the work of making evident to the people 
the value of the profession, by endeavoring to organize as efficient 
a veterinary police as circumstances will permit. Two different 
bills have been presented to Congress, proposing a Commission 
for the purposes in question ; one by a Mr. Kiefer and the other 
by a Mr. Lefevre. It is the purpose of this paper to call the at¬ 
tention of the profession, as well as the readers of the Turf to 
the different plans of organizing said Commission in these two 
bills. Mr. Kiefer proposes that the Commission be composed of 
a practical stock-raiser, a civilian (who should be an able lawyer) 
and a veterinarian. That of Mr. Lefevre proposes that the Com¬ 
mission be composed of the Commissioner of Agriculture and the 
Secretaries of Treasury and State ; this board to employ a vet¬ 
erinarian. It should be evident to every veterinarian that this 
