26 
PLEUROPNEUMONIA. 
eral ot his cows had been taken sick. Accordingly his herd was isolated, but as 
in this and other instances, it appeared to the Commissioners that, in such sit¬ 
uations, the isolation could not be perfectly secured, arrangements w T ere made 
tor the removal ot the infected herds to some secure place, where the public 
would not bo endangered, and where experimental knowledge might more 
readilj be acquired as to the nature and progress of the disease. Accordingly 
the Commissioners took possession of a farm at Squantum, which was under 
lease to one O. C. Barnes, the owner of an infected herd; and all the herds 
which were then known to be infected, were removed thither in the night time. 
The buildings to which the cattle were removed were old and fully ventilated in 
every direction, but the disease soon took hold of the healthy animals, and when 
killed \ ery tew weie tound to have escaped the infectiou. A sick cow was pur¬ 
posely tied between two apparently perfectly healthy. These in the course of a 
few weeks became sick, while the cow in the middle became .apparently better 
but when killed was found badly diseased, the unhealthy portion of the lungs 
having become encased with a firm membranous covering. 
Mauy members ot the last Legislature visited Squantum, and w r ere present 
when cattle were killed. They were all satisfied as to the peculiar character of 
the disease; and those who doubted when they went, returned convinced. In 
fact, there remained no longer room to doubt the infectious nature of the disease. 
Many animals fully exposed entirely escaped. Well fed milch cows rarely failed 
to take the disease. Bulls, oxen, heifers and poor cows were more commonly 
among the exempts. It does not appear that the disease is so infectious as the 
small-pox among human beings. It is, however, sufficiently so to be very 
alarming. As an approximation, it may be stated that twenty-five per cent, of 
an infected herd will die, fifty per cent, may recover so as in a measure to be 
healthy, but when killed will be found to have a portion of diseased lung fully en¬ 
cased and separate from the healthy portions, and twenty-five per cent, will come 
out in perfect condition. 
One hundred and fifty-four cattle have died or been killed during the past 
ten months under suspicion of having been infected. Of these forty-four were 
cattle pastured on Long Island, killed for reasons hereinafter to be given. Of 
the remaining one hundred and ten, seventy-seven were diseased and thirty-three 
perfectly healthy. Contact was proved in all but one instance, which may be 
thus given. 
Mr. William Walker, of Quincy, was at Squantum when diseased cattle were 
killed there. He examined closely portions of diseased lung and walked through 
the blood of the slain animals. He then rode home a mile and a half and went 
to the barn and fed his cattle. I'hese became diseased. Two were sold to E- 
B. Taylor, and all but three out of his herd of twenty-one were found diseased’ 
Another was sent to Long Island where forty-four cattle belonging to individ" 
uals in different towns were pastured. This cow was taken sick aud when killed 
was found to be diseased with this peculiar form of disease. This affair caused 
great perplexity to the Commissioners. The cattle on the Island had all been ex¬ 
posed aud yet they appeared perfectly healthy. It was decided to keep them 
on the Island until it was necessary to dispose of them for want of shelter. The 
owners were consulted and either they or their neighbors objected to their re¬ 
moval from the Island. Intelligent stock owners in various parts of the Com¬ 
monwealth remonstrated against endangering the whole cattle ef the State for 
