ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

BOARD OF CATTLE COMMISSIONERS,

MADE TO THE

GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

AT ITS

JANUARY SESSION, A. D. 1878.

PROVIDENCE:

E. L. FREEMAN & CO., PRINTERS TO THE STATE.

REPORT.

PROVIDENCE, MARCH 2, 1878.

To the Honorable the General Assembly of the State of Rhode Island:

Chapter 76 of the General Statutes, "Of Contagious Diseases Among Cattle," provides for the appointment of a Board of Cattle Commissioners by the Governor, and also says: "Sec. 10. The Commissioners shall keep a record of their doings, and make report of the same to the January session of the General Assembly, next after the time of their appointment, unless sooner required by the Governor.

In obedience to this provision, the following report of the doings of the Commission, during the past year, is respectfully presented: The first meeting of the Commission, during the year, was held in the city of Providence, on Saturday, June 9th, 1877. It was called at the request of several citizens, on account of the prevalence of the disease called glanders among horses, especially in the city of Providence and vicinity.

All the members of the Commission were present, as follows:

Providence County-Edwin M. Snow, of Providence.

Edwin Darling, of Pawtucket.

Bristol County-Samuel W. Church, of Bristol.

Newport County-Joseph Osborn, of Tiverton.

Washington County-Nathaniel C. Peckham, of Kingston P. O. Kent County-Jonathan Brayton, of Warwick.

The members of the Commission took the oath of office, and the Board was organized by the Choice of Edwin M. Snow, of Providence, as Chairman and Secretary.

A letter was read from W. E. Barnes, of Field's Point, in the city of Providence, stating that, during the five months ending June 1, 1877, he had killed and buried forty-five horses that had the disease called glanders or farcy. He also thought he had removed fifteen more dead horses, that died on account of the same disease, making sixty cases in all.

By request of the Commission, Dr. N. A. Fisher, General Agent of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; Mr. Charles H. Thurber, local agent for the same society, and Dr. Marlin, Veterinary Surgeon, were present, and gave valuable information to the Board, in relation to the prevalence of the disease, (glanders) and its symptoms and diagnosis.

After discussion, the following regulations, in accordance with the authority given in Section 8, of Chapter 76 of the General Statutes, were unanimously adopted:

First-Any horse or other amimal, that has the disease called glanders, or farcy, shall be kept by the owner or person having the care of the same, apart and separate from all other horses or animals.

Second-No horse or other animal, having the disease called glanders, or farcy, shall be led or driven, or permitted to go in, or over any public street, road, lane or highway in this State.*

*NOTE. Subsequent experience having shown that these regulations were defective, the following substitutes for them have been adopted by the Cattle Commission, under the advice of the Attorney General, and are now in force:

1. The owner, or any person having the care of any horse, or other animal, knowing the same to have the disease called glanders, or farcy, shall keep such horse or other animal apart and separate from all other horses or animals.

2. The owner, or any person having the care of any horse, or other animal, knowing the same to have the disease called glanders or farcy, shall not lead nor drive, nor permit such horse or other animal to go, in or over any public street, road, lane or highway in this State.

3. Any veterinary surgeon, or other person, who shall have knowledge of any horse or other animal, that has the disease called glanders or farcy, shall report the existence and location of such case of disease to some member of the Cattle Commission within twenty-four hours after receiving knowledge of the same.