The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-09-24
MR.. WiNsLow's CATTLE.
A Statement from Or. Charles o.
Smith.
To The Editor of the Press.

To the Editor of the Press:
An article in your issue of this morning
relative to certain diseased cattle at Fal-
mouth, refers to my connection with them so
directly, and places me in position so little
warranted by TACT, that must beg the priv
ilege Of space enough to make certain cor
rections and one important addition.
Certain portions of tissue were submitted
to me, as the article states, among them
some Dodules from the walls of the intes-
tines. Examination of these bodies dis
closed all the characteristics of degenerating
tubercle except the. bacillus, and in the alb
scence of any other evidence, the belief that
they were tubereles was warranted. Some
days later, in similar nodules, but from an
other animal, a parasitic worm was found,
affording ground for possible error in the
conclusions as to the nature of those first
examined. did not, however, as the article
states, pronounce them ''tiled with tubercle
bacilli." nor have l changed my mind with
reference to the condition of another COW
from which came the portion of tissue about
to be described, and this necessitates
an addition to the information conveyed by
the article in question which is this: At
the same time of the examination OF these
nodules, another fragment of tissue was
given me, taken from the right gambrel
joint of cow, said to have been killed May
26th. This was in an advanced stage Of tu-
berculosis degeneration, and in it the bacil
lus OF tubercle was found. The source of
this specimen having been doubted, to verify
1t went to Falmouth on May 29th, accom-
panied by DR.. Bailey; found upon the por-
tion of the hide covering the joint in ques-
tion tubercular masses identical with the
specimens removed; saw the body of the
cow exhumed; opened the joints and found
them extensively diseased. The condition
Of this COW has not. to my knowledge, been
disputed; on the contrary, it has been ad-
mitted, and Mr.. Winslow has beeen offered
by the treasurer OF the commission such part
the law allows him. The omission of this
part of the history of Mr.. Winslow's herd,
without even an allusion to 1t, object to-
because 1t has an all important bearing upon
the main question, and does me the injustice
OF implying that regarded all the disease
in that herd as due to parasitic worm,
which is simply ridiculous. Intestinal para
sites do not cause tuberculous destruction of
joints.
must also protest against the antagonism
in your closing paragraph, believe his DO
sition with reference to the question is cor
rect, I. e., tuberculosis, no matter where To-
Gated, is tuberculosis just the same" and
further no one can affirm when it will be-
come communicable, or that an animal so
affected will or will not transmit the disease
to its offspring to become. perhaps, actively
contagious. l cannot willingly allow myself
to be quoted as maintaining anything less.
The condition of the last cow killed was
certainly suspicious, but further minute ex-
animation Of the suspected tissues will be
necessary.
1t is true, no tubercles have yet been
formed In the lungs of any of the animals
killed, but to say broadly that no tuberculo-
sis has been found in the herd, because it
was not pulmonary tuberculosis, is not con-
frmed by admitted facts, and in the discus
sion Of a matter of such vital Importance to
the health interests of the community re-
spectfully submit that all the facts should be
stated and none forgotten.
As to the condition of the COW killed by
DR.. Winchester on Saturday last, l have ex-
pressed no opinion whatever.
Very respectfully yours,
CHAs. ID. SMITH, NJ. D.,
126 Free street.
Portland. September 23d, 1889.