+34 
EDITORIAL. 
Dr. Watson then remarked: “If I understand you, doctor, 
you would quarantine these cattle.” Incomprehensible as it may 
seem to the profession after wluit was said above, Dr. Thayer 
replied : “ I should in Massachusetts, because we have authority 
to do it. We have saved money by it. The little expense attend¬ 
ing quarantine is small compared with an extensive loss of 
Rattle.” Mr. David Whitcher said: “ I have had some trouble 
with my cattle. They have had a cough and still have one. 
They breathe badly, still they are in good condition otherwise 
and feel well.” Mr. Merrill finished by saying that some of his 
calves that had been sick were bought out of the drove and 
some were raised on the place. Also that a neighbor bought two 
nice calves last fall and they soon commenced to run down and 
afterward died. 
The above extracts embrace everything of importance that 
can bear upon the question of contagious or non-contagious 
pleuro-pnemnonia in this outbreak of disease. Dr. Thayer says 
it is enzootic and is not contagious. According to the testimony 
of the farmers, given above, the disease is present upon at least 
three farms, on two of which calves were introduced recently 
from a drove. One cow had the appearance of being quite sick ; 
and yet with dullness upon one side, a temperature of 101° and 
pulse 60 to 62, she is pronounced to have non-contagious pleuro- 
pnemnonia. 
But why quarantine cattle that have a disease in no way com¬ 
municable to others ? How can money be saved by it, or why is 
there any danger of extensive loss ? We confess to being unable 
to understand that any necessity can possibly exist for the adop¬ 
tion and enforcement of measures which look to the prevention 
of the spreading of a disease that has not the power to progress 
beyond the limits of the local exciting cause. Sporadic pleuro¬ 
pneumonia of cattle is a very rare disease, and in an enzootic 
form much rarer. Still we believe Dr. Thayer’s long-time experi¬ 
ence with this disease is such that his opinion must be accepted, 
notwithstanding the circumstances reported might make us suspect 
the disease was contagious. 
