The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-03-08
Tuberculosis in Cattle and People.

]
the following questions relating to tub
erculosis, phthisis, or consumption, as
it is commonly known:
| First-What is the influence of hered.
ity upon its propagation?
| Second What is the influence of con-
| tagion?
Third-What are the primitive meas
ures TO be employed against the bad
influence that may be produced by the
utilization of the meat and milk OF ami
mails affected with the disease?
The conclusion is reached that tuber-
Gle is propagated by hereditary and
! contagiOn, and numerous cases were
cited in support of this view. As to
! the infectious nature of the disease
there has been little dissent, especially
since the discovery of the bacillus OF
| tubercle. In view OF the fact that con-
| sumption is transmissible by infection,
| the importance of adopting such meas
/ ures rs will prevent propagation of
| disease was recognized. In opening the
/ discussion Mr.. Lydtin said; ''Phthisis
| is so common a disease that it deserves
| before any other ailment the name of
universal panzotoic. This disease not
only touches the preservation of our
cattle, but also the health of man. If
we succeed in solving the question we
shall have reached noble obiect-that
of protecting at the same time the
prosperity and health of the public"
The following resolutions were pres
ented, as embodying the opinions of the
veterinarians there assembled, and may
| be taken as embodying the views of
many if not most of the scietific men
who have made this matter special
study:
tuberculosis is a malady which is
transmissible by heredity and by conta-
gion. 1t is disease which should be
combated by sanitary police measures,
| Every stock-owner should be COM
PEELED to declare to the authorities the
existence of tuberculosis among his
animals, and should give notice when
he observes any symptoms which lead
| him to suspect the existence of the dis
order. 1t should also be compulsory
to put the suspected animals in such a
position as will prevent risk of the ex-
tension of disease to other animals.
This obligation is to be made to apply
to every person having charge of
animals in transit, and also to the
.owners of stables or pastures in which
animals are kept. The same obliga-
ton to give notice Of tuberculosis is to
rest upon all veterinary surgeons or
persons concerned in treatment of the
diseases of domestic animals also on
all whose business it is to de-
stroy or utilize or in any
way manipulate the carcasses of
animals. The existence Of the disease
and its locality is to be made public,
and even in the herd in which ii has
appeared is to be named.
| Meat from tuberculosis animals is
not to be sold for consumption unless
/ it is certain that the disease was in the
incipient stage, and that the meat
/ presents the appearance Of being first
class in quality.
The inspection of animals afflicted
with tuberculosis is to be performed by
veterinary surgeon who is to be sole
/ Judge as to the fitness or otherwise of
the meat for human food.
| Milk of diseased animals is not to be
used for food OF man or animals, and
milk Of animals which are suspected OF
contamination is not to be used until
after it has been boiled.
/ . Compensation to owners of diseased
animals for losses sustained from the
operation of the above police measures
| is to be provided by the State and, rs
q means for providing the necessary
| funds, it is proposed to adopt u system
of compulsory insurance, every owner
of cattle being compelled to subscribe
certain sum in proportion to the size Of
his herd.
| The popular idea in America has been
| that the domestic animals of this coun-
| try, especially the neat cattle, are al
most entirely free from contagious dis
eases, but in the strong light thrown
| upon the matter by the investigations
following England's act in forbidding
| the admission of American cattle, the
truth has become widely known. 1t is
found that contagious pleuro-pneu-
monia has had an almost uninterrupted
existence in the United States for many
years; anthrax, lung-wOrms and Span
ish or Texas fever Kill many cattle each
year, and actinomycOsis has been seen
almost every day of the last ten years,
| at least in the cattle markets of the
West. Milk, butter and meat convey
to mankind the living germs of tubercu-
losis, with which there is no doubt the
cattle of America are more or less af-
fected. BY this means this dread dis
ease, which has killed more people than
have been killed by wars, is kept in ex-
istence and its hold upon the people is
extended day by day.
According to the conclusions reached
by M. Daremburg, and set forth by him
before the Academy of Medicine of
Paris, tuberculosis is transmissible by
incubation, inhalation, or by alimenta-
ton; it is always caused by the absorb
ton of a germ from without; when oc-
curing by inhalation the quantity of
the contagion is of little moment; it can
operate only in suitable soil. Conta-
gion is an influence to which all are ex-
posed, but which is operative only in
those individuals in whom hereditary
or acquired vices of nutrition have pre-
pared a field suited to the growth and
reproduction of the germ. Local and
general tuberculosis differ only in de-
gree. Scrofula appears to be a diathe-
sis, while tuberculosis is an infection
engrafted upon diathesis. The infec-
! tious germs are not usually inherited,
I