In counties under townships organization, act amended.. In counties not under township organization, act amended.... AN ACT to revise the law in relation to the suppression and prevention of the spread of contagious and infectious diseases among domestic animals. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly: That the Governor shall, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint three practical stock breeders, who shall constitute a board of live stock commissioners, who shall hold their office in the order in which they are named, the first for one year, the second for two years, and the third for three years; and their successors in office shall be appointed for three years each. Before entering on the duties of their office, they shall take and subscribe to an oath of office for the faithful performance of their duties as such commissioners, and shall file the same with the Governor. § 2. It shall be the duty of said board of commissioners to cause to be investigated any and all cases, or alleged cases, coming to their knowledge, of contagious or infectious diseases among domestic animals, and to use all proper means to prevent the spread of such diseases, and to provide for the extirpation thereof; and in the event of reasonable ground for belief that any such contagious or infectious disease has broken out in this State, it shall be the duty of the person owning or having in charge animals infected with disease, or any other person having knowledge or reason to suspect the existence of such disease, to immediately notify said board of commissioners, or some member thereof, by communication to said board, of the existence of such disease, and thereupon it shall be the duty of said board, immediately to cause proper examination thereof to be made, and if said disease shall be found to be a dangerously contagious or infectious malady, said board shall order said diseased animals, and such as have been exposed to contagion, to be strictly quarantined in charge of such person as the board, or any authorized member thereof, shall designate, and they shall have power to order any premises or farms, where the disease exists or has recently existed, as well as exposed premises or farms, to be put in quarantine, so that no domestic animal which has been or is so diseased, or has been exposed to such contagious or infectious disease, be removed from or brought to the premises or places so quarantined; and said board shall prescribe such regulations as they may deem necessary to prevent such disease from being communicated in airy.way from the premises quarantined. The said board sha I have power. to order the slaughter of diseased animals, and in cases of contagious and infectious diseases, they shall have power to order the appraisement and slaughter of all such animals as have been exposed to such contagion. 3. The Governor shall appoint a competent veterinary surgeon, who shall be known as the State Veterinarian, who, together with his assistants, shall act ander the direction of said board in carrying out the provisions of this aet. In the event of the inability of the said State Veterinarian to perform all the work which he may be directed to do by said board of commissioners, he may,by and with the advice and consent of said board, appoint necessary assistants, upon terms not exceeding that paid the State Veterinarian. The State Veterinarian shall receive for his services the sum of $8 per day for each day actually employed under the provisions of this act, together with his necessary traveling expenses, to be certified to by said board of commissioners. § 4. Whenever said board of commissioners shall report to the Governor that such diseases have become epidemic in certain localities in other States, or that their condition would render such domestic animals liable to convey diseases, he may, by proclamation, schedule such localities, and prohibit the importation of any live stock, of the kind diseased, into the State, except under such regulations as may be prescribed by the said board and approved by the Governor. Any corporation which shall knowingly transport, receive, or convey such prohibited stock, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $10,000 for each and every offense, and shall become liable for any and all damage or loss that may be sustained by any party or parties, by reason of the importation or transportation of such prohibited stock. Any individual who shall knowingly sell, buy, receive, convey, or engage in the traffic of diseased or exposed stock, shall be guilty of a felony, and upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned not less than one, nor more than ten years in the penitentiary, and fined not less than $500 nor more than $5,000 for each and every offense, and shall become liable for any and all damage or loss that may be sustained by any party or parties, resulting from exposure to said diseases. Any veterinary practitioner having information of any such contagious or infectious disease in this State, and who shall fail to promptly report such knowledge to the board of live stock commissioners, shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500, or be imprisoned in the county jail not more than one year for each offense. § 5. All cases against the State arising from the slaughter of animals, as herein provided for, shall be made to said board of commissioners, |