Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-11
ON ERCULOSlS
Report on the Disease as It Affects
Animals.
RESULTS OF EXAMINATIONS MADE
How to Detect Its Presence and
the Symptoms.
VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS

VALUABLE SUGGESTION
The results Of investigations dealing with
the serious question of tuberculosis in cat
tie from both economical and sanitary
| standpoints are embodied in an important
report Of the Agricultural Department pre-
pared by Theobald Smith, chief Of the ant
NAL pathology division. 1t reviews the ex-
aminations. discusses the history and char
acter Of tuberculosis and presents many
valuable suggestions for the diagnosis and
prevention Of the disease. The report is
| in substance as follows:
I'm making tests the temperature Of the
inspected animals should be taken every
| two hours. at least six or seven times be-
| fore making the injections, as without a
knowledge of the variations before the in
jections 1t is frequently impossible to es-
innate correctly the value of the elevations
Of temperature after the injections.
| The variation in the temperature of
an animal during the course Of the day
| il frequently SO great that, II the variation
| Is not determined, and the temperature is
taken only once before q tuberculin injec-
| ton. 1t Is merely a matter Of chance II a
high temperature. natural to the animal
and Independent Of the action of the tuber-
a reaction. The most convenient place for
an injection is the side Of the neck, where
the skin Is thin and a large, strong needle
gives much more satisfaction than a small
fine one. Seven or eight hours after the
injection the temperature should again be
taken and from then on every two hours
until decided reaction. continuous dur
ing several hours has occurred. or until
eighteen or twenty hours have passed since
the time of the Injection
Most Difficult Problem.
ITO attack tuberculosis as it exists at
present." continues the report. lis a most
difficult problem, and 10 single measure,
however sweeping. is likely to be success
fui. The present wide dissemination of the
disease and it's prevalence among other
domesticated animals, as dogs. cats. horses,
and above all. its prevalence among man.
makes the complete extinction of the
malady an unrealzable problem. Infection
through the air is the most serious problem
to be dealt with. question Of such prac-
tical consequence is the effect Of repeated
| infections That cattle may be infected
| more than once ie self-evident. The more
frequent the infections the more rapid the
disease. and the speedier the danger of
the one case to other animais: The fewer
duced the danger. 1t In highly probable
that cattle may, under conditions. inhale
| q few tubercle bacilli without permanent
injury. The importance Of reducing the
amount Of infection In a herd by all possible
means and keeping 1t permanently reduced
Is one necessary condition for the success
full eradication of tuberculosis.''
Forms Of Tuberculosis.
The summarized important facts bearing
on tuberculosis Of the lungs in cattle are:
Primary infection through the air 10 more
frequent under existing conditions than
any other mode of Infection: early stages
Of the disease may consist Of glandular
M N nd ~ no
disease depends. at least In part, upon the
number Of tubercle bacilli inhaled either
within short or long periods of time; tuber-
culosis Of the lungs is not necessarily as
ISOLATED with any other recognizable lung
affection as a pre-existing. favoring con-
dition. tuberculosis of the liver Is probably
in most cases a result of food infection.
tuberculosis Of the Serious membrane seems
to cause least damage to the animals Affect
ed.
1T takes place principally by escape Of
bacilli from some forms of the disease situ-
ated under one Of the Serious coverings, as
luEgs, liver, intestines and associated
lymph glands. 1t does not appear probable
that organs are invaded to any extent by
tuberculosis starting on their Serious cover
ing. The tubercle bacilli appear to be usu-
ally carried in lymph channels with the
current. but a case of evidently retrograde
movement Of the bacilli has been noticed
The virus of tuberculosis does not vegetate
In the blood. Its presence there being acci-
dental. In the more advanced stages of the
disease infection Of the blood may occur re-
peatedly. Generalized infection may be
ease In organs not accessible to the virus In
any other way than through the circula-
ton. or In the lymph glands Of such or
gans. Tuberculosis Of the simultaneous
lymph glands and Of those situated in the
muscular tissue Of the trunk and limbs IL
universally accepted as indicative Of the
generalized disease. Such glands may be
infected from without, but infection through
nj % n 70 Capo II
lied Infection. both chronic and acute has
obtained considerable attention, owing to
its important bearing on the infectiousness
OF meat and milk. In all cases OF general
lied disease the milk should be regarded as
dangerous. The difficulty. from the prac-
teal standpoint lies in the recognition Of
the generalized infection during life. With
the meat the question Is simple and re-
solves itself into the thorough inspection of
every carcass at the abattoir by a trained
ir spector; and with the living animal there
ton Of the udder lymph or enlargement of
some Of the superficial glands.
Preferred Seat Of the Disease.
''The regions of the throat and Of the small
intestines are more likely to absorb tu-
bercle baciDi early in life than later on,
while the lungs seem to become with age
the preferred seat Of the disease. Demon
stration Of this assumption 10 complicated
by the fact that calves are more exposed
to food infection than adult animals be-
cause of the dangers OF tubercle bacilli IN
the milk. There II every reason to believe
that most Of the tuberculosis Of cattle 10
not demonstrated at or before birth, but
is contracted by ccntagion later on In life
Cattle owners should pay special attention
to the condition of udders, disease In which
Is particularly dangerous because the milk
at first appears normal for some weeks,
and therefore would be used with impunity
With this disease the only danger to other
herds lies In dire. It contact, or In the trans
fer Of q diseased animal. or OF milk from
such an animal The greatest danger exists
In the immediate surroundings OF the in
fected. and loses itself the distance in
creases
I'm order to efectually control any in
fectious disease 1t Is Of the utmost import
ancs to recognize In the living animal not
only advanced stages, but even the slightest
Infection. 1t IL essential that the tuberculin
test be repeated not later than after an in
teryal of six months, SO as to reveal cases
not detected at the first test"
General Sanitary Measures.
In recommending general sanitary meas
ures the report concludes: Cattle owners
should become familiar with the general
| nature Of tuberculosis. thereby lifting them
selves above the plane where quackery and