To his Excellency, A. B. CORNELL, Governor, State of New York: SIR-I have the honor to submit to your Excellency a report of the work done under my direction, during the last year, in carrying out the provisions of chapter one hundred and thirty-four (134) of the Laws of 1878, in relation to contagious diseases among cattle. It had been known for many years that singular disease had existed among cattle in some of the lower counties of this State; notably on Long Island, and especially in and around Brooklyn. Of the character of this disease little was known to the great public; but, as its ravages were supposed to be mainly confined to stables and herds where the food was largely drawn from the waste of distilleries, the general impression was that the disease originated in what is usually known as "swill milk stables."

In 1868-9, during the prevalence of what is known as the "Texas Cattle Fever," the State commissioners were brought in contact with the "Lung Plague" (contagious pleuro-pneumonia), in Westchester county, but, under the law of that day, they were not authorized to take action, so far as that particular disease was concerned.

Attention was, however, called to it, repeatedly, by gentlemen who had been connected with that commission, and attempts at legislation were made for two or three years in succession, but without success. Professional veterinarians, however, at different times called public attention to it, through the press, and veterinary journals. An article. which appeared from the pen of one of these gentlemen, in the N. Y. Weekly Tribune, of 27th Nov., 1878, referring to the spread of this "Lung Plague" into the States south of New York, and especially into the District of Columbia, was widely copied, both in this country and in England, and led to the British demand for an embargo on American cattle.

A cargo of cattle, shipped from Portland, Maine, by the Ontario, on arriving at Liverpool, in the January following, was condemned, as being affected with contagious pleuro-pneumonia. Whether the animals constituting this cargo were really affected with this disease is still a matter of dispute, it being generally supposed, on this side the water, that their sickness arose from exposure, during the severe storms of December and early January, while they were en route from the western States. Be that as it may, special inquiries were ordered to be made in this country, through H. B. M. consul-general, and by the mission of Prof. McEachran, on the part of the Dominion government, toward the end of January, 1879. Prof. McEachran's report, that this "Lung Plague" existed in Washington, Philadelphia and

Brooklyn, was followed in early February, by an order of the British Privy Council, that all American cattle should be slaughtered immediately on their arrival at English ports.

This order caused great consternation among our cattle shippers, and struck a heavy blow at this important branch of our foreign trade. On the 6th of February, Gov. Robinson commissioned Prof. James Law, of Cornell University, to repair promptly to Brooklyn, investigate the disease in Kings and Queens counties, and report to him the result, as soon as possible. On the 10th February, Prof. Law having reported the presence, existence and dangerous character of the disease, as developed in the western part of Kings and Queens counties,

I was called to Albany by the governor, where I met Prof. Law, and on the 11th and 12th of February the necessary arrangements were made for work, in stamping out the disease. The legislature made an appropriation of ($10,000) ten thousand dollars, to meet instant expenses, and on the 13th we had commenced our labors in Brooklyn.

The press in New York and Brooklyn gave notice of our arrival, and a copy of my instructions from the governor was published in all, or nearly all, the papers of those cities.

The law (chap. 134 of the Laws of 1878), with the governor's instructions appended, was printed on slips and distributed throughout the infected districts, to give it the utmost publicity. (Appendix "A.") At that time this disease was supposed to be confined mainly to the counties of Kings and Queens (with possibly a few infected centers in upper New York and Westchester); and the governor's proclamation had special reference to these Long Island counties.

The report of Prof. Law of the 10th inst. (already alluded to), as to the nature and extent of the disease in the Blissville stables, had caused the governor to issue an order to Sheriff Rushmore of Queens county, to place those stables in quarantine. (Appendix " B.")

The sheriff received this order at ten o'clock on the morning of the 12th, and promptly placed a sufficient force around the premises to prevent the removal of any cows therefrom.

There was much excitement, not only among cattle men, but in the public mind generally, which was fanned by the wild and extravagant reports of newspaper men, and mercenary professionals. On the 13th we. met the Brooklyn board of health, by appointment, and, after a conference with that body, arranged to occupy one of its rooms as an office pro tempore, the board pledging to us all the aid in its power to carry out my instructions from the governor. Sheriff Rushmore reported to me in person, at the same time, and placed himself under my direction.

On the 14th Dr. L. McLean, a member of the Royal Veterinary College of Edinburgh, was placed on the State veterinary staff, and with Prof. Law, made a very thorough inspection of the premises of Gaff, Fleischman & Co., which showed an exceedingly filthy condition, not only of the stables, but of all buckets, cans, and other vessels used in carrying away the milk; and, as the clothing and every thing connected with these stables was full of infection, it became necessary to quarantine the whole. On the 15th the cow-owners notified the sheriff

that, as the State had taken possession of their cows, they would no longer feed, milk, or care for them, and to so notify me. Ï thereupon directed the sheriff to call the owners together, and say to them, that the State had simply quarantined the premises, but had in no sense taken possession of the cattle, and would not, therefore, be responsible for any want of attention in feeding, or milking them. I further directed him to say to them, that by neglecting to care for these animals, they were liable to prosecution under chapter three hundred. and seventy-five (375) of the Laws of 1867.

This action was followed on the same day by a thorough inspection of the whole of the Blissville premises, by Sheriff Rushmore and myself.

The question of the disposition to be made of the slops and surplusage of the distilleries was disposed of, the parties in charge of the distillery receiving permission to have them taken away, by complying with certain necessary conditions. The premises were then placed under the immediate supervision of veterinary inspector McLean, who was charged with the carrying out of my orders; first of all numbering, and making a register of all animals in each of the stables.

Between the 16th and 20th of February arrangements were made with the police commissioners of Brooklyn, by which the police were instructed to carry out all orders issued from my office, in relation to the movements, or landing of cattle, within the city limits. (Appendix "C.”) The law, and my instructions under it, were translated into German, and scattered over the western end of Long Island; the great body of cow dealers, and small milkmen, understanding that language only. (Appendix "D.") Many stables in Brooklyn were inspected, and much disease found in different parts of the city. On the 20th of February Dr. Lucien J. Bell, of the N. Y. Veterinary College, was added to the State veterinary staff, and assigned to duty in Brooklyn. It being found exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to secure the burial of slaughtered animals, while the earth was so deeply frozen, arrangements were made with the offal contractors to follow us with closed carts, when we should commence slaughtering, and take the carcasses to the Steam Rendering establishment, on Barren Island.

By the 21st, all things being in readiness, the order was given to begin the slaughter of condemned animals, at the Blissville stables. As there was much excitement among cattle men, and great interest among veterinarians, as also gentlemen of the medical profession, in regard to the character of the disease, invitations were extended to all such gentlemen as were desirous of being present at the post-mortems which would follow. Taking Prof. Law and Drs. McLean and Bell with me to the stables of Goff, Fleischman & Co., three cows were found dead, since the previous day, and seven others were led out of the stables, their value appraised by three gentlemen heretofore engaged in the cattle trade, and now residing in the eastern part of Queens county. One after the other these cows were knocked down, and autopsies made of as many as could be examined before night. The appearance of the lungs, in all these cases, exhibited the strongest characteristics of contagious pleuro-pneumonia, as pronounced by Prof. Liantard, of the N. Y. Veterinary College, and his associates present, as well as by Prof. Law, and the State veterinarians.

The question as to the genuineness of the disease, thus put at rest, instructions were given to our inspectors to select from the stables, daily, such animals as were fit for beef (in which the disease had not made sufficient progress to render the meat unwholesome for human food), and have them sent at once to the slaughter-house. This system the inspectors were charged to carry out as rapidly as the market would admit; at the same time setting aside, from day to day, such as were diseased and the meat unfit for consumption.

These condemned animals were all valued by the same appraisers, killed and taken away by the offal contractor.

Soon after commencing our work at Blissville, we became satisfied that quite a large number of animals had been run out of these stables a day or two before the sheriff took possession, and had been smuggled into various parts of Kings and Queens counties, and fears were entertained that they had been pushed into Suffolk county, there being but eight hundred and seventy-nine (879) in these stables, where a short time before ten hundred and thirty (1030) cows were counted by the inspector of the Brooklyn board of health.

It was for this reason that application was made to Gov. Robinson for the extension of my authority over the county of Suffolk, in addition to Kings and Queens counties, so that the whole of Long Island might be subject to my inspection. (Appendix "E.")

During the six or seven days following several infected herds, in the central and north-eastern parts of Queens county were visited by Prof. Law. A number of animals were condemned and killed, being acutely diseased, and the premises where they were found were placed under quarantine.

To prevent the cattle from Brooklyn, Long Island City, and the adjoining towns being pushed toward the eastern end of the island, into districts hitherto free from disease, Mr. J. Howard Rushmore, secretary of the Queens County Agricultural Society, was placed in charge of the three eastern towns of Queens county, Hempstead, North Hempstead, and Oyster Bay, and Mr. Benj. Albertson in charge of the three adjoining towns of Jamaica, Flushing and Newtown, with orders to allow no movement of cattle from the western part of the island toward the east.

While these operations were in progress here, the legislature of New Jersey began to take measures for the protection of that State, where the same disease was prevailing in many of its counties, and I was invited by Gov. McClellan to meet a joint committee of the two houses of the New Jersey legislature. On the 22d of February Prof. Law had been called to Washington to meet a congressional committee, having in view the framing of a law to be carried out by the United States government, for the suppression of contagious pleuro-pneumonia in any of the States where it might be found.

Having telegraphed him to meet me at Trenton on his way home, we met there on the 27th of February, and were enabled to spend several hours in consultation with the governor and the committee, giving them our views, and the results of our experience. As your Excellency is aware, the law of the State of New Jersey, which was soon after enacted, is very similar in its character to our law of 1878, and, although there was some delay in its passage, it went into successful operation about the middle of March.