The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-01-10
DOMESTIC ANIMALS.
Annual Report of the Commissioner
 Submitted to Governor Lounsbury-

Annual Report of the Commissions
 Submitted to Governor Lounsbury-
 Concerning Bovin Tuberculosis.
 The annual report of Heman O. Aver
 ill, commissioner on domestic animals
 submitted to the governor, says tht
 records of the department show tht
 total expenses for the year ending
 September 30, 1900, to have been $4 ,410l4
 this sum including compensation fol
 cattle condemned. In response to calls
 to examine suspicious cases of bovine tuberculosis, 3S5 animals were inspect ed. The number Of cattle inspected furnishing milk to Boston and Nor walk and South Norwalk markets was 3,S39, and the total number of cattle condemned was 11S, for which total amount of $1,S02 was allowed as com pensation, an average of $15.27 head The work of inspection for the mark cts was done in response to many calls from farmers and was made necessary by the action of the Boston board of health and the health regulations of the cities of Norwalk and South Norwalk requiring an annual inspection.
 The report says that bovine tubercu- losis is the only contagious disease that exists among the cattle in the state that is recognized as dangerous to the public health, and that every animal that has been found to be affected with this disease by physical examination has been condemned, killed and buried. In every such case the owner and the commissioner have been able to agree upon, the price to be paid by the state. The voluntary extinction of bovine tu- berculosis by the owners will be great ly encouraged and aided by educating the farmer and herdsman respecting the disease. so that they will be able to diagnose it in its earlier stages To carry on campaign of instruction, as well as wage a war of destruction should be the constant aim of this de- partment, says the report.
 There is no data by which we can determine if bovine tuberculosis. is on the increase or the decrease ih this state at the present time. However, if we take period back about thirty five years when the farmers of the state were generally engaged in buying young stock, mostly steers from the west, and after feeding them year or two, selling them to the butcher, and compare it with the present time when dairying is the leading industry of the farmers Of the state, the result would undoubtedly show a considerable in" crease in the prevalence of the disease.
 Tt is but fair to the farmers and dairymen of the state to say that they have kept fairly abreast of the times. The agitation and discussion of the sub ject of bovine tuberculosis during the past six years have resulted in awal1- ening in the minds of the farmers such a keen interest in the subject that to- day they are keeping closer watch of their cows and putting into practice many precautionary measures to pre- vent the entrance of disease into their herds"
 Quoting from the report of the state board of health of 1889, in which a les sening of mortality from consumption is shown, the report remarks:
 This information should convince any one who is now afraid to use milk, cream or butter that there is no cause for alarm. ''
 Some suggestions in regard to the care of barns follow, and the report con cludes with a paper on tuberculosis in cattle by N. s. Mayo, M. S., D. V. S., of the Connecticut agricultural college. i