The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-09-16
THE CRITICS CORNER.
DEVOTED TO COMMENT UfON RE-
CENT PUBLICATIONS..
Tho September Number OF the virginia
Medical MonthIy-"Tubercuio In
CsttIe"-Literary Notes.

mum. For sale by West, Johnston
x Co.
This issue Of the Virginia Medical
Monthly contains, besides much that IS
OF interest and value to the medical pro-
fesson, two papers which will prove Doth
interesting and ineligible 10 the general
reader.
read with care by some Of our intelligent
legislators, who have at once the minus
to recognize the truth of its arguments
and the courage To take a step forward
and emphasize that recognition Dy ue-
cisve action.
The subject OF the paper referred TO Is
1.-The Prevalence, Dangers and FreVSh-
ton of tuberculosis in Cattle the
writer, f. L. Niles, Professor OF NeterlI
nary Sciences in the Virginia Agricultural
and Mechanical College. 80,
with the utmost simplicity, Mr.. Niles
says what he has to say, and his state
ments have particular and practical value
as being based on wide experience.
80 mucn,' says he, has been written
on tuberculosis that | fear an attempt
on my part to contribute anything new
will result in an abOrtive effort. Ihat the
subject IS. however. an important one
all viii admit for there is probably no
warm blOOded animal that showed perfect
immunity against this terrible disease
known, although imperfecly under
stood, since the days OF Moses.
After Il statement in brief OF the views
of cur ancestors regarding the disease,
Mr. Niles brings us 10 the discovery by
Koch, in 49, Of the bacillus of tubercu-
lOss as its true cause.
lie then proceeds to tell In what manner
II spreads from one animal 10 another
from the lower animals 20 the human
family. ana vice versa, and some starting
figures are given proving the prevalence
Of the disease hOtn IN animals ana the
human family Ia a much greater extent
than IS supposed by the public.
Professor Law, of the Cornell jnINcr-
IL q De-
deaths from tuberculosis which occur
every year in the city Of New ork,
could be brought together i'm an epidemic
lasting but one week. no smallpox, choi-
era, nor yellow fever scare would APP
proach the panic which would thus ne
created" IL We take the whole
civilized world. and compare with the
tuberculosis mortality all the accumulated
deaths from war famine plague, cholera,
yellow fever and smallpox, We find that
the latter are very insisnlticant.'
There is no doubt but what large
per cent. 81 the cases OF tuberculosis In
man are due to the use Of the hesn ana
milk OF tubcrcuiOus animals. II may
be- safely stated that no less than my
per cent. Of the cases are developed from
The dclicacy and accuracy Of Koch's
method Of detecting the disease-yiz.. by
the use Of tuberculin-Air Niles illus
trates by the following together with
a number OF other experiments equally
In April, 1898. tuberculin was used on
the entire herd Of cattle at the BLACKS
burg, Na.D Agricultural Experiment sta
ton, with the result That only one animal
thoroughbred short horn COW. ia excel
lent flesh for beef, for which she wolid
have been sold i'm another week, as She
was WORTHLESS as dairy COW. y post
norton examination revealed inte tiu1l
tuberculosis with two large tuoercies
on the liver
With this sccurate agent for the detec-
gf he t-4 q re- q "a
latOrs 10 control a. i'm tine lower animal
aui lessen the mortality i'm man and the
following are cited by Mr. Niles as nee, s.
l.. The most important Of all. the es-
Enlistment Of q state Board Of Health.
one member # which shall be qlali-
fed veterinarian
. The appointment Of n qualified state
veterinarian who shall bc an cN-1ti .iO
member of the state Board Of Health
and work under its direction.
g. \ liberal appropriation placed at
the disposal Of these officers, in order
that tLey may cifeciually carry out their
Z. The establishment Of public abat-
toirs and compelling TIE slaughter VI all
animals for meat ut those places.
.. Providing foF veterinary h+ptct"n
OF all animals slaughtered for meat. Also
veterinary Inspection Of all public dairlt-
C. The provision Of some means 10 COM
pcnsate owners OF al condemned animals.
Z. a law empowering the State \eter-
marian 10 order the destruction Of all
condemned animals.
s. The provision Of county hospitals
for INDECENT tubercu.Ous people.
=. Compulsory disinferti Of all pre-
misses that have been occupied by tuber-
Cu.Ous people or animals.
TO- Compelling the disposal Of tho car
casses Of all tuberculous animals By
cremation.
II. Prohibiting tuherculous people from
attending public gatherings in closed
buildings
With these laws i'm force, says our
writer. tuberculosis can be- practically
stamped ont. Science is arrayed for the
battle; all that L. lacking Is the declara-
uon OF war ON the parts of the States
and the government
Thus much for Mr. Niles paper. We
have read il with keen interest and
Journal upon having placed it before the
public
AN ounce Of prevention is worth a
pound Of cure and the backwardncss
of The government % take perfectly prac-
ucable steps for the protection of the
general health from q disease whose
very rame has long struck terror Wher-
ever IL Is known must De due TO the fact
that the medical profession have been
content 90 fire an occasional gun at the
public in general through their p2U"rs
instead OF taking steady personal aim at
the makers OF our State and national
laws with all the force Of their know
ledge OF the facts and Ser professional
inntence 1t would be a step worthy Of
this State whose history as has been
we'll SAID "is the history Of the Unltci
States 10 bring legislation t. bear I'm
this direction