152 
PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. 
As the pastures of Mr. Whitiug are adjoining those on which a large num¬ 
ber of cattle are kept, and his cattle remained there until one or more of them 
became sick, when they were secured in the barn, considerable apprehension 
existed that the disease would spread; consequently, directions were given that 
the cattle in the immediate vicinity should be isolated, which was done in a 
suitable length of time, when no further sickness appearing, they were released. 
The next case to which our attention was called was a cow belonging to 
Mrs. Cary, of Nahant. She was purchased of a dealer in Lexington, in June, 
and had been kept at Nahant until the time she died, October 5th. Tbe lungs 
were sent for examination, and it was estimated that the diseased one would 
weigh more than forty pounds. It presented the usual characteristics of the 
disease iu question. 
It is proper to state that this animal was kept in the same enclosure with 
another until she became sick, when she was shut up by herself in a stable, and 
as it was impossible to ascertain with certainty whether the other cattle in town 
had been exposed, or, if any, how many, therefore they were all prohibited 
from being sent away till the Commissioners were satisfied that the disease had 
not been communicated, when they were released. 
Since the appropriation by the Legislature of $'ffi,000, iu 1864, the Commis¬ 
sioners have expended the sum of $7,943.78, a considerable part of which has 
been for the experiments ordered by the executive department. 
Several towns have drawn sums for claims made previous to the appoint¬ 
ment of the Commission, amounting to $1,906.36, leaving a balauce of $10,149.86, 
which reverts to the treasury. 
The conclusion of the report of the experiments made by order of the ex¬ 
ecutive department to determine the question of the “contagiousness and cura¬ 
bility of the disease among cattle (pleuro-pneumonia); also whether for the 
purpose of working, milking or breeding they have been injured by exposure to 
disease, or by having had the disease; and also to ascertain by slaughtering 
them, at a sufficiently remote period, whether, and to what extent, their fatten¬ 
ing qualities have been injured,” is hereby respectfully submitted. 
A report relating to the contagiousness of the disease, as shown by this ex¬ 
periment, was in May last sent to the Legislature and printed,(House Document 
No. 292). 
The cows w'ere kept at Newtonville until May 18tli, when a bull was pur¬ 
chased, and with the cows was sent to pasture at Lovell’s Island, Boston Har¬ 
bor. 
Juue - 9th.—Visited the island and found them all in thriviug condition, ex¬ 
cepting the roan cow, which calved March 18th ; she looked haggard and dull, 
had staring coat, and was poor in flesh compared with the others, and iu con¬ 
sideration of the large amount of food on the island. 
The calf sucked the cow during the summer. 
July lltli.—Again visited the island and found all, with the above excep¬ 
tion, had accumulated flesh rapidly. In July, the officers iu charge of Lovell's 
Island directed that all the animals be removed, as some improvements were to 
be made; therefore, Hog Island, situated in Hull, was selected, and the cattle 
removed there. 
A visit was occasionally made, and the animals examined. No material 
