REPORT OF THE STATE LIVE STOCK SANITARY

COMMISSION.

To the Governor of Michigan:

SIR-Act 182, Session Laws of 1885, under which the State Live Stock Sanitary Commission derives the authority for its existence, provides, in section 21: "The commission shall make biennally a detailed report of its doings to the Governor, which report shall be transmitted to the Legislature at its regular biennial session."

A literal compliance with this provision of law, in this instance, would make a pamphlet of such voluminous proportions as to make it wearisome for the Governor and members of the Legislature to undertake to follow the details through. The commission, therefore, submit the following as a general report of the results of their acts for the years 1887 and 1888, omitting details which, in a general way, would be uninteresting.

We also make some suggestions which may be of some interest to the public.

At the date of the close of our last biennial report, covering the years 1885 and 1886, cantagious pleuro-pneumonia, that most destructive of all cattle diseases, had been found to exist in Cook county, Ill., among thousands of cattle in and about Chicago, and it had been found necessary, in protecting our great cattle industries, to establish a strict quarantine prohibiting the importation of any neat cattle to this State from said Cook county for any purpose whatever. The following paragraph is taken from that report, same having been written just as the report went to press in February, two years ago. "The situation at Chicago, so far as the cattle industry of the country in general and this State in particular are concerned, shows no improvement. A few thousand cattle have been slaughtered in distilleries and elsewhere but thousands of diseased and exposed cattle are still scattered in various parts of the city, and there seems to be no well founded hope that the disease will be stamped out at Chicago for a long time to come. The desire of the cattle growers of the State, that was concurred in by the Governor and Legislature, that Congress would, at its present session, pass the so-called 'Miller bill,' the immediate purposes of which is to set on foot proper national machinery to stamp out contagious pleuro-pneumonia in the United States seems unlikely to be realized, in which event it seems to be an inevitable necessity that for the next two years at least we shall be compelled to try and protect our great and constantly growing cattle industries by a rigid maintenance of quarantine regulations against all infected localities. Should an outbreak of this exotic animal disease, for the existence of which in this country Michigan nor none of its citizens are in any way responsible, occur in this

State, it will undoubtedly be the best and only safe policy to strike an imagi nary line around the diseased center sufficiently comprehensive to include all the diseased and exposed cattle, and kill all within the line without hope of assistance from national authority."

The prophesy therein recorded, relating to the fate of the "Miller bill,” was realized, but fortunately for the cattle industries of the country in general, and this State in particular, in an omnibus appropriation bill passed during the very last hour of the life of the 49th Congress, an item of half a million of dollars was inserted for the use of the Bureau of Animal Industry to be used in stamping out contageous plureo-pneumonia in this country. The first session of the 50th Congress duplicated the same appropriation. The Bureau of Animal Industry acted promptly and the work is still proceeding on the Atlantic sea-board, the disease having been already effectually stamped out in the interior and in the west.

Immediately on the action of Congress, first above referred to, the Bureau of Animal Industry organized for the serious work on hand at Chicago. Prof. James Law, of Cornell University, was placed in charge of the work in co-operation with the efficient Illinois Live Stock Sanitary Commission. An ample corps of assistants were retained, together with a full complement of other employés and police, to see that all regulations were properly observed. The policy of peremptory slaughter of all diseased and exposed animals was undertaken. The pole ax and butchers knife were used without mercy, and the policy thus pursued was attended with speedy and perfect success. A very large share of the credit for this result is due the Illinois Commission. This required a large outlay of money but was much the cheapest and the only safe policy to pursue. Contagious plureo-pneumonia was stamped out, in and about Chicago. The last acute case was destroyed on July 28th, 1887. The great menace to the cattle industries of the west from this dread disease was thereby removed.

It was deemed best by this Commission to maintain our efficient quarantine regulations for a suffici. nt period to guarantee safety, and with some modifications on October 5, 1887, the regulations were maintained until May 8, 1888. when they were removed.

Some supposed cases of contagious pleuro-pneumonia have been reported by local authorities in this State, but this Commission is warranted in stating that there never was a case within the borders of this State.

The disease that is and will probably permanently continue to be a menance to Michigan cattle interests is Texas or splenic fever. A continual stream of these contagion carrying cattle are constantly passing over our Trunk line railroads from their native breeding pastures in the southwest to the meat consuming markets of the east. Not only is contact with these socalled Texas cattle, during all the months of the year when we do not have heavy frosts, fatal to our native cattle, but all the cars, yards and pens in which these are handled, and the streets and commons over which they may be driven, become infected with the germs of the disease, and nothing seems to avert the danger until a hard frost comes in the fall when all danger for that season ceases. By the provision of law, Act 198, Laws of 1885, as amended by Act 57, Law of 1887, it is contemplated that all cars that carry any of this class of cattle, as well as all stockyards in which same are handled shall be branded "For the transportation (or yarding) of Texas cattle only," and that no native cattle shall be admitted to these cars or yards between the

1st day of April and the 1st day of November of each year. This provision of law, so far as it applies to railroads in branding cars has never yet been complied with in the slightest particular. As was noted in our last report this Commission for the year 1886 adopted certain rules and regulations prescribing certain streets only on which these southern cattle should be driven in the city of Detroit, in transit from the stockyards without the city to the various slaughter houses that are located promisciously within the city, and appointed an agent to see that the regulations were observed. As noted in that report the result of that action at Detroit was to reduce the loss of milch cows in that city from this disease, amounting to thousands of dollars annually to practically nothing. This experiment was so eminently satisfactory at Detroit that the same policy was pursued at that point for the year 1887 with like satisfactory results. This action at Detroit, however, afforded no sort of protection to any other point in the State, and outbreaks occurred at Adrian, Grand Rapids, and elsewhere, causing large cash losses, and very seriously deranging the business of milkmen, string butchers and others. Thus matters stood at the opening of the season of 1888 when the Commission decided to apply the heroic treatment of prohibition to all traffic in this class of cattle in this State for the past season. This plan was considered by this Commission not only possible of execution, but entirely practicable, although arrived at after consultation with the Governor, the Railroad Commissioner, the managers of leading railroads, stock growers, butchers, farmers and other interested parties, a majority of whom were opposed to the plan. The Commission therefore, on May 8, adopted prohibitory rules and regulations as above stated, and on May 12 the Governor issued his proclamation publishing same, which is as follows:

MICHIGAN.

PROCLAMATION PROHIBITING THE IMPORTATION OF NEAT CATTLE FROM SOUTH OF THE THIRTY-SIXTH PARALLEL, NORTH LATITUDE, 1888.

PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS, a clause of Act 182, Session Laws of 1885 declares in substance and language, that whenever the Governor of the State shall have good reason to believe that any dangerous, contagious or infectious disease has become epizootic in certain localities in other States, territories or countries, or that there are conditions which render such domestic animals from such infected districts liable to convey such disease, he shall, by proclamation, prohibit the importation of any live stock of the kind diseased, into the State, etc.; and WHEREAS, It is clearly understood that cattle coming from the southern portion of the United States are affected with a contagious disease, known as Texas or splenic fever, which is very fatal to our northern cattle, and which annually, for years past, has caused serious loss among the cattle stock of this State, and

WHEREAS, The State Live Stock Sanitary Commission did on May 8 adopt the following quarantine regulations regarding the importation of so-called Texas cattle, with the view of the absolute prohibitation of their admission to this State previous to the 1st day of November next, viz. :

"RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE MICHIGAN LIVE STOCK SANITARY COMMISSION

RELATING TO THE IMPORTATION OF SO-CALLED TEXAS CATTLE.

WHEREAS, by Sec. 4, Act 182, Session Laws of 1885, it is made the duty of the State Live Stock Sanitary Commission to protect the health of the domestic animals of the State from all contagious or infectious diseases of a malignant character, and for this purpose it is hereby authorized and empowered to establish, maintain and enforce such quarantine, sanitary and other regulations as it may deem necessary, and

WHEREAS, The bringing to this State for slaughter or other purposes so-called Texas cattle, or cattle raised south of the thirty-sixth parallel of north latitude, and that have not subsequently been kept continuously at least one winter north of said parallel, and which may be brought within the limits of this State between the first day of April and the first day of November following very seriously endangers the health of our cattle stock; and

WHEREAS, As a matter of fact so-called Texas or splenic fever so fatal to our northern cattle is only contracted from contact with these cattle or in the recent environments of the same;

Now therefore, It is hereby ordered and directed by the Live Stock Sanitary Commission of the State of Michigan, in accordance with the Act heretofore referred to, that hereafter and until the first day of November next no cattle coming from south of the thirty-sixth parallel of north latitude, and that have not wintered north of the said thirty-sixth parallel, shall be brought to any place in this State for the purpose of slaughter, or for any other purpose except such cattle be in transit across this State, and these through cattle shall not be unloaded for feeding or other purposes in this State, except in yards designated and branded for the feeding of Texas cattle only.

In order that no expense and practically no inconvenience may be caused to any parties desiring to ship any cattle to this State for slaughter or for other purposes, that are not prescribed by these quarantine regulations, coming from the two points from which the cattle of commerce are principally shipped to this State, viz.: The Union Stock Yards at Chicago and the Stock Yards at East St. Louis, this Commission will, on May 21 next, establish an agency in the vicinity of each of the above named stock yards, at which all parties must apply who desire to ship cattle to this State from these points, and upon presenting the proper evidence at the agency, showing that the proposed shipment of cattle are not prohibited from coming to this State by the above order a certificate permitting the shipment to any part of this State will be issued to the shipper with out cost to him.

Now therefore, I, Cyrus G. Luce, Governor of the State of Michigan, by virtue of the authority vested in me by law, issue this, my proclamation, and it is hereby ordered that from and after the 21st day of May, and until the first day of November next, the importation of all neat cattle to this State from south of the thirty-sixth parallel of north latitude, and that have not wintered north of said thirty-sixth parallel, is hereby prohibited and forbidden, except such cattle as are in transit across this State, and they shall only be unloaded in this State for the purpose of feeding and watering, and then only in yards branded and lettered for the "Feeding of Texas Cattle only." And I hereby call the attention of all shippers of live stock, transportation companies and all other parties interested to the manifestly fair and proper rules and regulations of the State Live Stock Sanitary Commission heretofore re

cited, relating to the subject and to the laws under which the same are made and promulgated.

Done at Lansing, Michigan, this 12th day of May, A. D. 1888.

BY THE GOVERNOR.

CYRUS G. LUCE.

F. B. EAGAN,

Deputy Secretary of State.

The carrying out of this plan was attended with considerable expense. L. K. Woodman of Paw Paw was appointed agent at St. Louis, and W. S. Walker, of Utica, at Chicago. The results may be summed up in a statement covering a single line, and that is that not a single case of Texas or splenic fever was reported in Michigan for the year 1888. There was shipped to Michigan between the 21st day of May and the 1st day of November, from Chicago, 374 cars carrying 8,662 head of cattle, and from St. Louis 318 cars carrying 8,375 head of cattle. A total of 692 cars, carrying 17,037 head of cattle.

Various theories have obtained among different parties, all having extensive opportunities of observation and keen perceptions in reasoning from cause to effect, in accounting for the particular manner in which the contagion of Texas Fever is communicated to our northern or native cattle. For instance, some gentlemen who have had large opportunities for observing the characteristics and contagiousness of this disease believed that native cattle might be handled with impunity in cars and pens recently occupied by the Texan-in fact that the native might actually be handled with the Texan so long as they were handled on dry feed, but as soon as the element of green vegetation was introduced and the native feed on the grass that grew up through the excrement and filth left in the track of the Texan, then and not till then was the native in danger. On the other hand our observations with the disease in this State had convinced us that the recent environments of the Texan, whether car, yard, street crossing, or pasture lot, were all susceptible vehicles for conveying the disease germs, and should be avoided and proscribed for the native. With these widely divergent theories as to the proper manner of dealing with these Texans, among the different State authorities, to prevent the annual large losses that is occurring among the native cattle of the northern States from Texas fever, it was thought best by the superintendent of the Union Stock Yards at Chicago to call a meeting early the past season of representatives of the northern States most interested, to confer upon the subject of instituting a series of experiments to determine some of these questions. The conference was held and this commission was represented. A series of experiments were undertaken and were carried on during the past season at the Chicago Stock Yards, and resulted, so far as the tests were concerned, in confirming the judgments we had formed in observing the spread and development of the malady in this State. It is perhaps proper to here note that the National Cattle Growers' Association, at their annual meeting in Chicago in November last, instructed their executive committee to ask Congress to enact national laws relative to handling these Southern cattle similar to our State laws, and also advised the Legislatures of other Northern States to enact similar laws.

The Governor and the Commission have been repeatedly importuned, during the past season, by butchers and butchers associations in different parts of the State, to so modify our prohibitory regulations regarding Texas