Norwich bulletin., 1911-02-04

, eased cattle to be moved from one state to another, it is equally wrong to sell them to be moved from one town to another or from one farm to
 another. Theoretically this is abso- lutely true, but nations and states
 have the power to pass stringent laws to prevent the practice and nearly. all of them are today requiring satlsfac-
 tory health certificates to accompany
 all importations of cattle It is confi-
 dently predicted that the day is not
 far distant when intelligent farmers
 will require health certificate when
 they purchase a COW, as they now re-
 quire certificate of registration when they buy pure bred animals.
 Commissioner Averil reports that
 last May one or more cases of anthrax were discovered in Winsted, and he
 warned the owner of the serious char
 of prompt action to prevent it's spread. He also notified the federal
 authorities at Washington and an ex-
 pert was sent on to investigate. He
 confirmed the diagnosis of anthrax
 and he also discovered that the orders
 given by Commissioner Averill had
 been disregarded. The commissioner says that it is an humiliating fact that his department has no authority to enforce an order issued to protect the cattle interests of the state, but must depend upon an United States official.
 The commissioners reports that the number of horses killed because of glanders or farcy was v each in 1908 and 1909, and 1S6 in 1910, but he says the increase shown is partially due to tha fact that there was during the
 past year more general compliance with the law requiring reports to be made to his office by veterinarians, an imaI undertakers and others, and he also adds that it is the opinion Of lnS made to the owners of horses con demned.
 Commissioner Averill speaks of the number of cases of rabies which have been reported to him and especially of an outbreak in Danbury in May last. In connection with the subject, he says:
 The commissioner was criticised by | many people and by a few newspapers as being unreasonably arbitrary and crue4 for causing the dogs so much in convenience and suffering. The com missioner would respectfully call at tention to the fact that the prompt and radical action of this department as outlined above resulted in stamp ing out the disease in the state. It is not more cruel to require dog to wear a muzzle when at large than it is to compel a horse to wear a bridle and a harness, and it is not too much ] to say that the combined and cumula- | tive sufferings of the dogs covered by 1 the commissioners orders of two years 1 ago through proper muzzling was eX- l tremely mild in comparison with the suffering and agony of one dog or one 1 COW or one horse with rabies.
 1 The commissioner feels that the muzzling order for period of three months would. be justified in com munity where rabies is epidemic, as a ] preventive measure against the suffer I ing and loss Of domestic animals alone; l but, contemplation of what might have | happened to those Danbury school 1 children if that rabid dog instead oi resting just at that time, when schoo 1 was dismissed for the noon hour had l been as active as he was after his rest must convince all thoughtful minds | that a little discomfort and annoyance 1 to few dogs for the brief period oi 1 three months and a little trouble tc 1 their caretakers should not be allow eC l to outweigh the prospect of stamping
 out the disease and of prev enting anx- | iety and suffering and perhaps of sav- 1 ing human lives
 l The number of dog license tags is tesued in 1909 was 75.9S9. with 209 ken
 nel license tags, while during 1910 the number of dog license tags fell off tc | 74.5S7 and the kennel licenses rose tC | 657.