The weekly Mississippian. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1859-1864, 1860-06-27
From the ~ ?. Tribune.
The Cattle Disease.

We are really very glad to see that at this
important crisis in the history Of the cattle dis
ease some of the States most interested in
neat stock have taken the measures Of precau-
ton which have been suggested by US in
| former articles In Ohio public attention has
been thoroughly aroused, and in view OF the
large and important cattle interests OF that
State and the West, upon consultation with
| leading agriculturalists Of Ohio, Gov. Den
nisou has appointed Messrs Jhon II. kGpPart,
Sullivan d. Harris, and Dr. Robert Thomp-
son to proceed 10 the districts in New Eng
land infested by the disease, and on the fol-
lowing points, w:
F1RsT-Ascertain the history Of the intro
duction of the pleuropneumonea, or cattle
plague" into New England. Ascertain III ly
the diagnosis Of the disease, by personal insPec'
| ton Of diseased cattle.
SEcoNp-Ascertain fully, by personal in
spection, the morbid anatomy OF the Affected
parts and attend as many post mortem eA-
aminations as may be either necessary or con-
venent. q,
THrRD-Ascertain what effect, if any, and
what kind of medical treatment has been ad-
ministered. Ascertain also, what sanitary
measures have been adopted, and with what
success also, what measures have been de-
ternined upon to arrest the progress oil tne
disease. Determine as accurately as may be
the manner of infection or communication OF
this disease from one animal or heard to an
other.
FoURTH-Collect statements Of the progress
Of the disease and the action and results OF
the committee appointed by the recent Legs
| M..,oobucatfc on1 Connecticut
| In the Connecticut Legislature, the subject
was made the special order Of the day for
Thursday of this week, and after some debate
the report and substitute bill Of the majority
Committee was read.
The bill provides that the Governor may ap-
point three Commissioners, who shall have
mower to isolate diseased cattle at safe distance
from other cattle prohibits the importation
of cattle from other States provides that the
Commissioners may fix limits, from which 1t
shall be unlawful to remove cattle gives
power to cause the appraisal OF damages
which the owner may suffer in consequence
of regulations fixed by the Commissioners ;
REQUIRES the Commissioners to report to the
Governor each month"; and also annually TO
the Legislature prescribes the pay Of the
Commissioners at SO per day, each requires
persons having animals suspected to be sick
with pulmonary-m to report the same
to the Selectmen, under heavy penalties; re-
dnires the Selectmen to report such cases to
the Commissioners Immediately; and imposes
fine of not more than $500 and six months
Imprisonment for refusal to obey the orders OF
the Commissioners or Sele :tmen.
The Minority bill provides that the Board
of Health shall have the same power in cases
of contagious diseases among cattle, that It
has in cases Of similar diseases among human
beings, and allows them TO take such meas
ures as they may deem fit to extirpate this
disease and imposes a fine Of $50, or i'm
prisonment for three moi tbs, for refusal to
obey their inunctions, and gives the Cover
nor of the States power to appoint Board Oh
Health in certain cases anG allow the Gov
> ernor 10 interdict communication between the
cattle of this and other States, and provides q
heavy penalty for the selling of diseased cat
tie.
The question occurring on the passage Of
the majority bill, various amendments were
offered and rejected, and long discussion en-
sued.
An amendment which provides that the
: amount expended by the Commissioners shall
not exceed S25,0OO was adopted by 81 tc
80.
The Yeas and Nays were then ordered, and
called on the passage of the bill with the ioF
.. lowing result Yeas, 172; Nays, %.
The Special Committee of the Massachu
!, sets Legislature met on Thursday afternoon
! and numbers of witnesses, including severa
eminent men, were called to testify.
: Mr.. Amasa Walker gave brief Statement
: ofthe spread ofthe diseases from Mr.. Chenery'i
farm in Belmont In regard to the system
D OF incubation, Mr. Walker said, from all thu
accounts he had seen from all parts oil thu
world, it was very uncertain remedy, ana
in many cases, it was worse than the disease
t DR.. George B. Loring was then requeste'
to state to the Committee what the desires
!, the Commissioners were in the matter. MI
t Loring stated that in the first place the act un
! der which the Commissioners were appointe'
i was found to be wholly insufficient, as tn
disease had extended over so large territory
e 1t was necessary that they should be empow
: cred to employ agents; that they should b
allowed to prevent the spread Of the disease
by isolation, and to disinfect all buildings, &c
that had been exposed in my way. Thes
= were the chief causes which led them to ap
ply to the State Board of Agriculture, and al
5 terwapd to petition with that Board for a
/ extra session Of the Legislature to take sue
:, action as they should deem proper in the mat
ter. DIR. Loring said they had receive
propositions from several of the most infiuen
tial gentlemen in the State relative to eradica
, ting the disease, which he would submit
the Committee as embOdying the views Of tn
Commissioners.
Dr. Loring was requested to read the propC
: sitions which he had submitted He the
read the following letter, accompanying
draft of bill, which he had received from cx
Gov. Lincoln:
WORCESTER, May 20, 1860.
: CHARLES L. FLINT, Secretary of the Board Q
, agriculture:
Ny DEAR SIR l have the deepest solicitud
: in regard to the action of the Legislature il
the matter upon which it is specially con
. vened. The most rigorous and effectiv
measures should be Immediately prosecutet
to arrest the alarming progress of the diseas
among cattle, which now threatens the de
struction of our herds, and tn, utter prostra
ton of the agricultural interests of the coun
try. Nor do distrust the success of proper
efforts to this end. 1t is by no means impos
sihle, or even a very difficult thing to protec
our healthy stock by isolation on our farms
Let authority be given, if it does not nov
exist, to require owners of cattle in infected
places to inclose lots in the middle of theil
farms, or places secure from communication
for the keeping of their cattle; or, where thi:
cannot be done, to keep them by soiling in
their stables. At this season of the year, ne
great hardship would attend such requirement
and by rigorous prohibition of the removal
of animals from place to place by driving
them on the highways or by transportation
by the cars, the further dissemination of the
h. tod oh h.
rested, by whatever human effort it may be
accomplished.
The hazard of entire loss is a sore tempta-
ton with inscriptions men to dispose oil
their animals, which. if not known to be dis
eased, have yet been exposed to contagion.-
To relieve the public mind from anxiety on this
subject, and at the same time to afford addi-
tional security against imposition, some mea-
sures of legislation seem called for and have
ventured, in very hasty manner, to propose
an enactment to that end. The accompany
ing sheets are not offered as precise form to
be adopted but are respectfully submitted to
you as a suggestion, substantially of what
might be proposed for the action of the Legis-
! lature.
l cannot but suggest, also, the expediency,
if not absolute necessity, of enlarging the num-
Der and powers Of the Commissioners. The
field of duty, and the labor required to its
prompt and effectual discharge, are altogether
beyond the physical ability of any three per-
sons to its accomplishment. | think there
should be Commissioners for large geographi
| cal divisions Of the Commonwealth.
pray you pardon, fo- my interest in the
cause, the liberty take in thus addressing
you, and be assured Of the great regard with
which
am, very truly,
your obliged and obedient servant,
LEVI LINCOLN.
DR.. Loring said that he had known of no
cattle being killed that were getting better;
SO far as external appearances were concerned
some were getting better one OK killed had
impaired the disease to 2S yoke of cattle he
looked well when he was killed, apparently
| in good condition for beef but had slightly
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