The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-04-03
AGRICULTURAL.
Work of the Cattle Commission.

G.. Mann of Randolph, March g. They
tested thirty-seven animals, found six
tuberculous, and killed and examined
them. In every instance the tuberculin
test was fully verified. Mr.. Mann had
suspected the existence of the disease
among his cattle. Two of the con-
demned cows were from the Green
Mountain Stock Farm at West RAN
dolph, two had come from the herd of
c.. G. Warren at Waterbury, one was
raised by Mr.. Mann, and one bought
about year ago.
March II and ID, eighteen animals
belonging to E. l.. Bass in Randolph
were tested. Three responded to the
test, were condemned and killed, and
found diseased March ID and 10, four
teen animals in the herd of James
Wheeler of Bethel and two suspects in
the herd of Alvin Hatch were exam.
ined Five of Mr.. Wheeler's fourteen
were condemned and killed, and all
found to be diseased Two of the con-
demned were purchased about year
ago of H. w. Whipple and came from
Massachusetts. The other three were
from the herd of Allen Priest of Ran
dolph. The suspected animals from
the Hatch herd did not respond to the
test and were not condemned.
March Is and 16, twenty-nine cattle
in the herd of g. B. Turner of Bethel
were tested, all high-grade thorough
bred Jerseys. The testindica ed that all
the animals were free from the disease.
March Is and 10, twenty-seven ami
mails were tested in Chelsea from three
herds and several village cows. No in
dication of tuberculosis was found in
any of these.
AT this point the examinations were
temporarily suspended, as DR.. Rich was
obliged to be in New York for four
weeks. On his return the work will be
resumed with additional veterinary as
sistance. A large number of applica-
tions for examination are on file. The
cases first taken up have been old ones,
and the commission has put 10 its work
where it seemed most necessary. The
proceedings recorded above have
brought from the neighborhood of the
examinations large numbers of fresh
applications. The difficulty that con-
fronts the commission is not to find
farmers willing to have their cattle ex-
amined, but to answer even a small
part of the eager applicants for the
test. The farmers have invariably
manifested lively interest in the work
of the commission and have given
the officials every possible assistance.
The unvarying accuracy of the test,
and the evidence afforded by the post
norton examinations of the ravages of
the disease, and its dangerous character,
have made converts wherever the work
of the commission has been prosecuted.
The practical facts elected by these ex.
aminations remove prejudice and up
set the theories and the logic of those
writers and takers who are employing
all the resources of buncombe and mis-
representation in their treatment of
this matter of vital Importance to the
material interests of the farmers and
the public health.
In the examinations made iu the re-
cent campaign, 127 cattle were tested l.,
Il
killed. In every instance the accuracy
OF the test was fully verified to the
ample satisfaction of the owners and
the neighboring farmers who were in
terested witnesses of the work. These
ex ,mples show that eleven per cent of
the whole were diseased. Of course no
general truth can be evolved, from this
limited field of observation, as to the
real proportions of the disease. Taken
in connection with the examinations
previously made, however, reasonable
ground is found for the apprehension
that has been expressed, and for the
confusion of those wiseacres who have
drawn upon their imagnations, or their
prejudices, or their general cussedness,
for their utterances, or their publica-
tons in respect of the existence, or the
extent of the existence, of this disease
among the cattle of the state.
To the cases we have enumerated
above should be added that of Mr..
Richardson of Burlin gton, examined in
January, and previously mentioned in
the WATCHMAN. The official report
shows that twenty-five animals out OF
twenty-seven were killed, and every one
of the condemned was in greater OF
less degree diseased, some having adj
vanced to very offensive stage. This
herd had been furnishing milk to the
people of the CITY of Burlington. The
cattle were appraised at 1926 a head