PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. 
117 
the milk of no value except to feed tlie swine upon, and the cows were from all 
these reasons used in such a manner as would have ruined any cows for the 
season. It should be noted that the calf both before and after being killed had 
the appearance of having been perfectly healthy ; also that the neighbor’s cows 
that were exposed to Smith’s bull, six and probably nine in number, have never 
shown any signs of the disease; and further, that a bull that was kept at 
Smith’s place for some time after the ox was takeu sick, is said to have died in 
about ten days after beiug taken away, having given the disease to each of the 
herds with which he came in contact iu Sharon, N. H. What reliance is to be 
placed on this story is for others to decide; I record it as it was told. Smith 
says in relation to this bull that he never came in contact with the sick ox, nor 
with any other of the sick cattle of his herd. It is conceded that no one of the 
above-named herd would have died of the disease except the ox first taken and 
the cow that was killed on the 23d of June, nor was it thought by Dr. Thayer 
that she would have died but for the presence of a quantity of masticated grass 
found in the bronchial tubes. 
This is the only case to which we have been called where we were able to 
trace even a probable connection between the disease found, and any other herd. 
It is for others to judge how conclusive the evidence in this case is. 
George Nelson, of Lincoln, had a herd of about twelve head, which were 
isolated by the selectmen, and turned over by them to the care of the Commis¬ 
sioners. Two of the cows had died, and one was sick at the time Dr. Thayer 
and Mr. Preston first visited the place. By their order the herd was appraised, 
and kept isolated; the sick cow was killed, and found to have had the pleuro¬ 
pneumonia. Dr. Thayer visited the herd several times, and examined it care¬ 
fully. On the 29th of June the Board, by his advice, returned to Mr. Nelson all 
his herd but three cows ; but on a subsequent visit it was decided to take one 
other cow with these three, and have them slaughtered in Brighton. Three of 
these cows showed the effects of diseased lungs, the other was perfectly sound ; 
iu one, the lung on one side was nearly wasted, there being not more than one- 
third of its proper size left, and that a hard lump adhering firmly to the ribs. 
I do not hesitate to say that had either of these animals belonged to me, and 
had been fat, I should have used the meat for food, without apprehending any 
injurious effects therefrom. So I think most of the farmers of this Common¬ 
wealth would have done. That they would have fattened readily, all the testi¬ 
mony that has come before us goes to prove; indeed, much of it is to the effect 
that cattle after passing the acute stage of the disease, fatten more readily for 
having had it. 
I deem it proper to take more particular notice of Nelson’s herd, because I 
have so often heard it mentioned as furnishing evidence sufficient to prove that 
cows affected with pleuro-pneumouia are not worth keeping for milking pur¬ 
poses. The facts in the case are simply these : From the time the Commissioners 
took possession of Nelson’s cows till they were returned to him, and the four 
cows killed, lie took care of them for the State, charging for his trouble and 
whatever it cost to feed them, on grass, hay, and meal, giving the State credit 
for what so much of the milk as was deemed fit to sell brought; and the result 
was that the cost of keeping was much more than was realized from the sale of 
the milk. Now, without going into an argument as to whether herds of cows 
would generally if kept iu this mauner, pay for their keeping, leaving out of the 
