Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-05-14
The Cattle Distemper-DOlngs of the Com
missiOners, Friday and Saturday.


Commissioners Lathrop, Walker, and Lor-
ing, with the assistance of Freeman Walker, to
whom authority to act as commissioner was
delegated, went on Friday last, each in diff
ferent direction, for the more expeditions &C.
compishment of the work before them. Mr..
Lathrop with DIR. Dadd went to New Brain
tree, at the invitation of several farmers there,
who suspected their herds might be infected.
They examined, among other valuable herds,
those of Moses Pollard J Penniman, and Chas.
Wilcox, but found no evidence of the disease
1t is believed that its spread in this direction,
at least, has been cut off. The same day. DIR
Loring proceeded in westerly direction, vts
iting many suspected herds in West Brook
field, Warren, and Ware and found some evil
dence of the disease, condemning all herds in
fected, and ordering them to be killed. He
thinks he has succeeded in circumscribing the
disease and eflectually preventing its farther
spread in that direction, but the people there
are very much alarmed. Mr.. A. Walker ex
tended his investigations into Oakham and vi
cinity, while Mr. T. Walker with DIR. Thayer
went to Sturbridge.
1t appears that the disease was carried into
Sturbridge by Mr.. Henry Bowen, who some
time since purchased a cow in West Brook
field, which had been exposed. The commits
sioners hearing of it, ordered the cow to be
killed, and condemned the remainder of the
herd-which was quite small one. The cow
was accordingly killed, and the lungs taken
to North Brookfield, on Wednesday last, and
exhibited to Dr. Dadd, who found them af
fected with pleuro-phenmona. 1t was in con-
sequence of this discovery that the visit to
Sturbridge on Friday and Saturday was made
The prospect there was discouraging, and it
will require close watch and vigorous work to
restrain the further progress of the disease in
that locality On Saturday two animals of a
herd of nine, belonging to Mr.. Nichols, were
killed, and found diseased, and the rest were
condemned. A Frenchman had fine cow
with a calf four weeks old, which were found
to be diseased, and were killed. Several other
herds in that locality, numbering nearly one
hundred in all, were reported as having been
either directly or indirectly exposed by con-
tact with diseased animals. Several herds
near the eastern border of Sturbridge, were
visited, but without finding any marked symp-
toms of the disease.
On Saturday, commissioners Lathrop and
Loring visited and condemned to be killed
several additional herds in North Brooktield,
including those of James Downey, who had
| boaA Il N Kniu fo;pa
Holman eight, John Carney four, George
Knight fifteen, Addison Ware seven, John
Knight three, Hiram Carruth two, and Henry
Reed l, after satisfying themselves that they
were infected with the disease. There was a
general slaughter of other herds which had
been condemned by the commissioners, num-
bering in all nearly one hundred.
The effect of these manifestations of this
destructive malady will be to defer the usual
cattle exhibitions in the fall, not only in that
section, but all over the commonwealth, if not
New England, the danger of its general spread.
ing being so imminent. 1t will be seen by
the subjoined resolution, adopted at meeting
of the directors Of the Hampden County Ag-
ricultural Society in Springfield last week,
that their proposed fair at Hampden Park ia
to be given up, and horse show is to take
place in its stead -
Resolved, That in consequence Of the pre-
vailing epidemic among cattle, it is expedient
to dispense with the exhibition of cattle at the
next annual county fair, and that in connec
ton with the exhibition OF agricultural pro
auctions and manufactures, fourth national
horse show shall be holden at such time as
shall be designated by the managers in their
advertisement therefor; and that George
Bliss, George NJ Atwater, Chester W. Cha
pin, George Dwight, Horace Kibbc, John L.
King, and VIM. Brine, be the general man
ayers of said horse show, with power to ap-
point all proper committees and agents, and to
make all necessary arrangements therefor.