218 
f. 8. mj.LIJMOS. 
males and four females, and one a child about live years of age, 
have been collected by the Massachusetts State Board of Health 
between the years 1859 and 1876. The dangers from nursing 
children with milk derived from tubereulotic cows has only been 
too emphatically demonstrated by the lamented Gerlach and others. 
Numerous cases are recorded in the annals of medicine of aptha? 
epizoticae by human beings from using uncooked milk of cows 
afflicted with hoof and mouth desease. Trichinosis by man from 
eating uninvestigated and half-cooked pork is no seldom occur¬ 
rence. American pork has acquired no enviable continental 
reputation in this regard. A recent investigation by Health Com¬ 
missioner Wolf, of Chicago, demonstrated that eight of one hun¬ 
dred swine examined, were infected by these parasites. In 1877, 
343 cases of triehinosic American pork were reported in Germany; 
138 people are reported as having been diseased with trichinosis. 
In 1878, of 35,510 American hams which were subjected to inspec¬ 
tion at Hamburg, 297 were found infected. Such statistics could 
be easily multiplied by searching the various reports of Commis¬ 
sions created for such purposes. 
It is of great public interest and importance to know in how 
many of our States we have any laws or regulations for the sup¬ 
pression of these animal pests. In 1876, Dr. Bowditch, of Boston, 
published a very interesting and valuable book, which should be 
on the table of every practitioner in this country, whether veteri¬ 
nary or medical, entitled, “ Public Hygiene in America.” The 
same is a most condemning proof of our insufficiency in this re¬ 
gard. With reference to laws for the prevention of cattle dis¬ 
eases—cattle diseases, it should he noticed—we find twenty-one 
States without any whatever ; ten States have some regulations; 
sixteen States are reported as indefinite, and from one ilhistrious 
State no information in this regard could he gained. No national 
laws or regulations of any importance exist, so far as we know. 
There is no competent veterinary councilor or head in connection 
with our national government. In advocating a National Veteri¬ 
nary Police, we are well aware, we touch upon one of the most 
sensitive points, not only of State, but individual ignorance. 
We are not overstepping the boundaries of truth when we as- 
