Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-08-12


the milk of cows dying OF tuberculosis
without inducing any disease Whatever
But in these cases the maurmany gland
of the COW remained sound. Then, again,
if the meat and milk is thoroughly
cooked it is safe.
"As to the varying susceptibility to
the disease we find this to large extent
generic. Thus COWS, rabbits, Guinea
pigs, swine, and chickens are extremely
liable to contractthe disease, while sheep,
horses. dogs, and cats are not at ail OBJ
noxiuus 10 It's attacks. So in families Z.
the same genus Of animals. Ionce went
through q herd OF cattle and picked out
for destruction sll the tuberculous ami
mails / could find, and was told when [
had finished that 7 had not left an ami
nal having any OF the blood OF particu-
lar family OF thoroughbreds. Yet there
side by side, living under the same con-
ditions, stood smother family OF cattle
which had almost without exception
escaped the contagion.
LFssENISG TIE POWER.
"This was not because the disease vas
not contagious nor that 1t was simply
hereditary, but because n particular
family possessed structural and constitu-
tioDal conditions which constituted 1t
more fertile field for the growth OF this
bacillus than did another. Iii but fair
10 say that this susceptibility can easily
he enhanced by exposing the subject to
any conditions which impair the general
vigor, and it may be reduced by all such
conditions as tend to invigorate and
strengthen the system. Impure air,
lack Of sunshine, oyerwork, starvation,
impure food, and, above all, local milan
nations lessen the power of resistance
and render more certain the growth of
the implanted germ. On the other hand,
an open-air life, easily-digested, nutrl-
tious food, healthful exercise, sunshine,
md conditions that fortify the
system against the attacks of the
ever-present bacillus. Ia cattle suffer
ING from tubucle of the glands
the effect OF pure air Is most re-
markable. / have seen subjects OF tubu-
culosis come from their winter-quarters
badly debilitated, and after few months
OF life in the open field day and night it
was almost impossible TO detect anything
amiss with them, yet when once more
returned to the barns few weeks re-
duced them to their former debllitated
condition. Similarly young men who
left New York with badly-dlseased lungs
have entirely recovered under a few
wears as Texas herders. during which
they slept under the broad canopy OF the
heavens.
What good would you expect from a
general inspection OF the animals killed
and the condemnation OF tuberculous
carcasses
IntelliPently carried out the effect
would be first to furnish more whole
some food TO the community and to re-
duce appreciably the percentage of
human tuberculosis. 1t might exclude
from the market much of what IS now
received as dressed beef, admitting only
such as arrived with an Official guarantee
of soundness, bat in doing this it would
strike at the very root OF this plague aud
! educate the stOck-raiser into wedding
out the tuberculous specimens from his
| herd. seeing he could no longer sell their
carcasses to the unsuspecting city Gus
| toner. BY shutting the market against
the tuberculous carcass this system
would benefit the farmer in teaching
him TO exclude this source Of loss
from his herd, and this policy, even par
italy adopted, would inaugurate a new
era, in which this bane OF civilized hui
Inanity would be kept within reasonable
limits.
Gould such a neat inspection be sue
cessfully conducted under present condi-
tons }"
"No. II could not be made q perfect
success. With the great number Of pri-
yate abattoirs scattered over our large
cities and the slaughter of animals going
on at all hours OF the day and night, the
requisite supervision is msnifestly i'm
possible, and tho evidence Of the disease
would too often escape the eye OF the
expert. When We make up our minds
/ to the necessity OF this great work the
great city will find it necessary TO follow
in the lead Of Edinburgh aud many other
European cities in constructing our
great municipal abattoir. where all mo-
dern facilities for slaughter are provided,
aud where inspection will be easy and
certain, and where the premises can be
rented to tho butchers at reasonable
rates and under suitable safeguards"
HOW TO CONTROL THE MILK.
"How would You proposeto reach and
control the milk supply"
"As | have said, the control OF the
meat market would react benefcially ON
tho milk supply, but before the milk
could be sufficiently guaranteed there
must be inspection of the dairy herds
furnishing it. A microscopic or chemi-
cal analysis OF the milk is not enough, as
the bacillus is found only with the great
est difficulty in this fluid, and the infec-
ton of dyspeptic child may attest its
presence when thousands of microscopic
tests of the same glass have been made
in vain.
"Milk brought from greater distance
and which has passed through the pro-
cess OF boiling or condensation is prscIi-
cslly safe, as the germ is destroyed by
the heat. 1t is the fresh mix and,
above all, the warm milk that is danger
GUS.
Apart from meat and milk, what is
the most common channel for the trans
/ mission OF tuberculosis 2"
1.-THE expectorations from the dis
eased throat or lungs Among cattle we
find that the feeding and drinking
troughs are pre-eminentfy the channels
Of contagion. The animal that stands in
a given stall and feeds from a given
I trough contracts the disease, while those
on each side Of It escape. And this oc-
ours TO every successive animal put into
that stall. All other conditions are the
same, only this animal alone takes in the