The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-16
THE CONSUMPTIVEC COWS
rrBYRCULosrs GREATEST ENEMY
OF MAN IN RICHMOND.
strong Reason 70 Believe That II 10 Con-
,agious Disease, Easily Contracted by
Drinking MIX From Affected Cows.

u.orst form, yet no steps are taken by
,ns authorities to check or ameliorate the
conditions which 1t IS reasonably certain
are responsible for much OF its havoc"
saa pr. w. II. Harbaugh. yesterday.
For several years The Times has urged
me necessity OF milk and meat inspection
as protection to public health. and In
an interview with DIR. Harbaugh. pub
ushcd more than n year ago, the opinion
uas expressed that the milk from cows
Affected with tuberculosis was one great
source Of danger. Having heard that a
number Of marked cases had recently
come under his observation, l called on
him yesterday for particulars.
In answer to the desire for information
a. 10 the prevalence OF that disease In
cows around Richmond. which. when
transplanted in man becomes consump-
ton he said:
Il can most positively assure you that
the nllch COWS in and about Richmond
are affected with tuberculosis to as great
a percentage as the average city.
MY opinion is not based on theory. but
IS formed from actual experience. / have
not made any efforts TO hunt for cases
II the disease; every case seen by me
was met with in regular practice. There
can be no doubt as TO my opinion being
correct. because in almost every instance
when there was the least doubt expressed
prevailed on the owner to destroy the
COW. when the post-mortem examination
furnished the positive proof.
owners OF cattle do not like 20 think
that tuberculosis is in their herds. but
when they are convinced by an intelligent
post-mortcm examination they lose no
lima IN wedding II which often iucnrS
comparatively great expense.
a few weeks ago l was called TO
farm near the city TO prescribe for two
cows as the owner supposed they were
suffering from merely local affections
one a joint affection. the other an affec-
ton OF the bag. After an examination
~ these. as well as the other cattle on the
place. / informed the owner that his cat
ne were affected with tuberculosis. He
doubted my diagnosis. hut as he desired
10 get at the bottom of his trouble, he
consented TO kill the COW with the joint
lfectiOn. and the pOst-mortem examina-
ton proved that she was tuberculous.
From the history Of the herd l sus-
pcctcd one OF the COWS in the stable
as being the one that introduced the dis
ease into the herd This animal showed
no signs OF local trouble. but we killed
her for reasons both economic and hu-
name. and tits well we did so, for the
post-mortem examination showed one of
the most horrible cases Of disease l ever
saw. Every organ was affected, and
masses Of tuberces weighing many
rounds were found in both the abdominal
and thoracil cavities. The mere sight of
the repulsive-looking object was enough
10 cause one TO forswear the use Of milk
for ever The owner Immediately did all
in his power 10 rid the place of the dis
ease. He removed the affected. isolated
the suspected. and thoroughly disinfected.
But ne is a heavy loser by the disease.
and l assure you that in him you Will
find a warm supporter in your efforts TO
secure the appointment OF a qualihed
milk and dairy inspector.
similar instances are not at all I'M
common. and are by no means confined to
farms where large number Of cattle
are kept. List week I was requested by
one Of our prominent business men TO
visit his suburban home 10 prescribe for
a horse. and was requested at the same
time 10 examine a cow that had been
ailinc for some time. / examined the
COW and gave it as my opinion that she
had tuberculosis and advised that she
De- destroyed as she was kept more par
ticularly for the purpose of supplying
milk for the children.
The cow was killed. and the post
mortem examination showed a case OF
tuberculosis worse than the average II
Is not necessary TO multiply instances,
but l will add that 1 meet with the dis
ease in the backyard city COW as often
as in her suburban cousin"
Has II been proved that tuberculosis
can be transmitted from the COW to the
human being
For obvious reasons positive proof is
wanting We cannot experiment with
human life as we do with the lower ami
mails But there no longer remains
doubt that tuberculosis is the same dis
ease and due to the same cause, whether
A. is In man or the lower animals. You
are aware that consumption is only one
form OF tuberculosis. and | nresune that
YOU know that II is an infectious disease.
Experiments have proved that 1t is con-
viewed from one animal to another, and
] can imagine no cause for doubling that
f. can be conveyed from the affected cow
% man as well as from an affected man
q another man.
Tuberculosis is the cause OF more deaths
among mankind than any other disease.
! think 1 am safe in saying that in the
past ten years you viii find that tuber-
culosls has caused many more deaths in
this city than all the other contagious
diseases combined. In 1892 the total num-
Der u deaths in this city was 2,ll0, OF
which number 252 were caused by con-
sumption and other tubercular affections
IN round numbers One-eighth OF all deaths
were due 10 tuberculosis. In view OF
these facts every probable factor in the
spread Of the affection should be checked.
Leaving the transmission Of tuberculosis
from the lower animal to man out or
the question. who cares to swallow the
milk from diseased COWS, either as an
article Of food or as a beverage? for
.. object. aud feel certain that the
councilmen would object If they once
..H lust-m0ricm the lessons Of well !
marked case"
DO YOU consider all milk from affected
animals dangerous
Il consider all milk suspicious. 1t Is /
obvious that milk from a COW with a
tubercular affection OF the udder must /
necessarily contain the germ, and the /
gm has been found in the milk from /
me cow when the udder was not ar (
fe.,eJ but YOU must remember that one I
COW in a large dairy with an affected (
l4er is HdU .&miua'e tine mink /
from the whole herd as it is all mixed |
together in many instances"
What Is your idea about MILK inspec- |
uon2'
License all persons mo sell milk In
he city. compel all owners who sell milk |
COWS for the purpose II selling milk TO
register with the Board Of Health; then
% owners refuse to allow their cattle TO
be inspected. revoke their license. APP
olnt rs Inspector a eoalihed veterinarian.
Sho Is competent 20 detect disease in ami
mails and Instead Of wasting time with
various samples OF mix, make frequent
Of the cows, the source OF
The milk You will find that all legiu-
N ate fsirvrncn are I'm favor of such a