New-York tribune., 1868-08-28
MErRoroLTrAY BOARD OF HEAITn, }

METROpOLITAE BOARD OF HEALTH
EEw-YoRK Aug q, 1865.
To n> rrea5ai Of The Metropolitan Board q( HalA 49,
SIR on behalf Of the Committee when the BoHd aP'
pointed for the investigation and control OF diseased cat
Tie iu the metropolitan District the following statements
are s1bmlltcd ioi t!e m IN % T cd C the first
information that there we're diseased cattle ON the way
Der Of tie sick and dead animals haG arrived az e tCai
stock yard, u East Liberty on Tie PeuntJ wanna CcAth
next day We found the surviving portion OF that hrs sck
herd, VIZ lH ~ the @5 ht had been sent rom Hoer
day we asocraiucd that The Kind OF sick and dying
cattle had been arriving at Buffalo aud Albany lOr al
This testimony was obtained Boy us from men u the drove
business The urgcntTe4uests "luch TINS boI' through
NeWJe-,y and Peuusy yuul the day these urst items
Of ofmfornatcu received, were none too urgent 40
The results of oar FIRST observations OF the disease NJ
The Drove Yards ON the Jersey shore have already Det1
action Of the ADutor Company at Communp1w' IN,
stanuy and completely smut Oh al aDHty Oi Ga, oAso. @
any diseased cattle at that important center Tor
oyen Lv conneIrnt ad,sers thC TACT was soon ascer
saurcSs AZ danger rs resds both the accidental and the
surIeptOus Shipment OF diseased aud infected catuc,
FOR We found that what is termed select" OF sna
lot as purchased by a clus, Of spcculaors and small
or nussy becLb And niti the state Commission ap-
pointed Ir Morris zone Of the Boards stan OF Sanitary
Inspectors an Assistant Commissioner WIN the au-
thoy Of that Commission. week ago, the Sanitary In
spectOrs aud the Police together found II quite npOssi
bic ferret and prevent the movement and sale of
small lots Of cattle which had among them some that
were sick infected But since Commissioner Morrss
tour M the railroads TO Albany and his prompt action
In quarau timing whatever herds justly came under suS-
10 diseased cattle and their uuwoesOmc flesh IA the city
markets have been well controlled
notwithstanding the present thorough sanitary control
Of ali herds that enter the Cities Of New York aud Brook
yn, there may daily DO found I'm the public or the private
heIdyaIds cases Of the dsease and this may
continue 10 occur go long as cattle continue 10 be sent
forward from the infected ocate7 oi the tite Si'Is M
which THIS malignant fever las gained loOlhuO. luis
viii almost certainly continue 10 occur unless All c't'4e
that are moved forward this market from those places
are subjected T. four weeks quarantine at some health
f points between this cty aud the LoSled iocli.es,
Or this Committee has obtained very good evidence that
tine ordinary perJd Of iHcabatO apparent tency Oh
month. Moreover, II Is fact Wellascertained that
drovtr and butchers however expert are IN many ana
probably most cases, utterly unable 10 tell whether
creature infected or not until within very blet
periOd-n many instances but fe" h0uIs-bei0ro the
parOXysnal symptoms, fatal stages OF the dlseose
come on Hence is that several honorable dealers n
cattle have suddenly found some OI the lat ana apparently
healthy boeyes, purchased from the Western htrda
f6ev bd been informed OF any symptom Of sickness
This Committee has, by careful inquiry aud corIe-pohG
cuCc cUd conclusions upon TINS ANA some other SUD
jecs which OF very great praeucal Importance to
sanitary authorities OF al cities that ale liable 10 have
infected animals brought 70 their markets
SANITARY MEAsuBEs ADOPTED BIZ I'M STATE Co'iHis
The principal herd.yard5 on tho railroad lines have
been declared to De quarantine grounds, aoc |lu,eser
trains are decl red arpaItLiy heaIthy 6y ue Asss,ut
Commissioner in charge Tie duration OF inc period tat
shall be required for the qrantnlue OF suspected horH
Do
protection OI tHe Clty nahets akah'l inc hFIEi ava
sale " the diseased animals This w DE accomplished,
we believe II the rule which Assistant Commissioner d.
OrtOn has adopted al Cdnp'Al, on thc hilC i'aroad
were enforced ar al the railway heldyaIds throughout
NcW-YOIk, NeW-Jor-ty, and PeuIsy lvdia Dr. OrtOu.s
order If that 80 days shall be the period OF quarantine
CArILl.rIdGUE COMMISSIONERS or NEw-JERsEY
Tie prompt ana faithful action 3 'he FOCAL Inspector,
that the Commissioners appointed Tor the great yards
and butcAeuCs OF hudson City and COmmuuiptW, mas
FOR ten days past gwen assurance that only such cattle
leave those premises for the markets.
Is TINS DISEASE INFECTIOUS AND CONTAGIOrsi
Three Vceks have nov elapsed since cattle, SICK or dead
OF this disease, began 10 arrive The Committee has not
yet found clearly proved Of contagon m the herd
yards Eut II 10 yet too soon lOr any conclusions upon
positively Infectious attribute by means OF which has
spread from state 10 state now well known The dairy
footOD, and 10 nOw is high time that deliberate efforts
should bo made TO ascertain Whcthert is actually true
that only the cattle from Texas act as the prOpagtOs
carriers O the ntecuOn 10 not worth while 70 debate
the question; but hope II will soon be settled.
sAEIIAII REASONS FOR POHiBITNG TIE USE or 1uE
DISEASED HEEF FOR FOOD
This disease witnessed ia the vicinity 0f NewiOrR
is characterized by rapid aud destructive changes in the
blood and era OF the largo vital organs aud these pa
fboo0ctl changes are OF euch nature tt mo- p,, Liciu
other intelligent person, who has any knowledge OF
the subject, could be persuaded under any circum
gtances 10 use any portion Of the animal a. food Fortu
natey thes fatal changes n the organs and blood Of the
sick animal 10 very rapidly that the chief
dalger of having the diseased fesh thrown uon ths
market is probably limited 10 the very days IN the
acute btage Of the disease when the creature might be
killed % from dying in natural way. Numerous
this kind have knowledge OF the
Committee during the past 20 days.
TIE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS UNDER THE COMMITTEES
DIRECTION
These have been steadily pursued, and much time
Is given to them possibly be spared from other
duties Diseased animals have been slaughtered at every
stage OF the disease for special and searching uyes
tiou into It's pathology and into tie nature Of those
changes which render such scky flesh unit for food
There at present five sick animals under observation
aud 1t II hoped these may be the last 10 be seen IN the
Metropolitan district.
The accompanying communication from Assistant
Commissioners Morris shows the present state OF his
branch of labor and Tcctes what has been done by HIM
during the Last few days T. RARRIs for the Committee
hETRoPOLuAS BOARD OF HEALTH,
NEw-YOEK, August &c, 1865. 5
TO ne Coni Of MdropohtIn board crHean Jor IR,ga
ton and 0utr0t " Dtsfated Cli'E
GENTLEMEN: For your information with reference 70
the progress, control and investigation Of diseased
te have the honor 10 present the following statement
Learning the fact that large number OF cattle
expected at the National Drove yards by way OF
the Hudson River Railroad, at O'Clock this morning.
and fearing that might escape the proper inspection
before being slaughtered, request made Of your
President for sufficient force tUm the Metropolitan PO
lice 10 AID Inc IN securing the Inspection Ihs ara was
kindly afforded by that department and proved Of
value, as no cattle arriving either at the Hudson River
Railroad Depot 10y Harlem RHilrOad or at any other
pOlut nave ielI TIE DioNeydds ds without CleIu sltC
uOp Measures had been taken previous 70 lher aINal
under the authority conferred upon the Assistant State
Commisscner 50 that no cattle could leave the yards
without such Inspection and permit Under tins arrange
ment am happy To be able 20 say that believe no dis
eHsed catue have escaped ObserN alton.
All that arrived at the drOve-ysrds underwent per
sOnai inspection, aud were found apparently IN sound
aud healthy condition. These numbered Ol, and with
1913 which were yet IN the yards from last market day,
made total OF l44 head OF cattle inspected this day.
These cattle from Missouri Illinois, Indiana, Ohio,
Kentucky aud this State Some of them from the Chero
kee country.
One which had good reasons for believing had been
turned out Of slangltCrhOuse near by, found
the IhrdaYe, near s1thst, very sick,
be placed IN the hospital lot attached TO quarantine
where he will be retained for observation.
The effect Of this decided action In the thorough in
spection Of ali cattle arriving In this large depot for die
VI he lint fft NJ