St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-03-29
TUBERCULOSIS IN CATTLE.
Lively Interest Awakened on this
Topic in this Section.


the famous Darling herd at East
Burke some days ago has been fol-
lowed by some earnest inquiry and
investigate as to the condition of
cows owned in and about St. Johns
bury, and not a little discussion is
being held here as to effective means
of preventing any outbreak of the
disease in this immediate vicinity.
@. w. Story, manager of the Fair
banks farm interest, was present It
the killing of the Darling cattle, and
subsequently arranged with DIR.
Frank A. Rich of Burlington, the
veterinary who Inspected the East
Burke herd, to come here and ex
anime the company's COWS. This
DR.. Rich did last week, and, apply
ing a thorough test, found the herd
in good condition. Two cows and
two heifers owned by Rev. Henry
Fairbanks were tested and con-
demned, the owner being advised to
stop using the milk pending the final
disposal of the animals. A cow be-
longing to Geo. Ranney of South
Park was found to be diseased and
Mr.. Ranney promptly killed her. The
post mOrtem examina ton revealed
a bad condition Of affairs, the ami
mails lungs being extensively affected.
Several other cows were examined al
so by DIR. Rich, but fortunately no
others were found to have the dis
ease. The doctor was obliged to
leave rather hurriedly to meet an
engagement in Long Island, but will
return in a few days and continue
his Investigations. We understand
that he will first test the COWS on
the Meacham farm. DIR. Rich is an
acknowledged authority on this sub
ject, and is connected with the State
Experiment Station at Burlington.
His tests in the case of the Darling
herd proved correct in every instance,
despite the doubts and protests of
certain individuals who witnessed
the slaughter and were considerably
stirred thereby.
All owners of COWS will be inter
ested in the following letter received
by Chairman Winslow Of the State
Board of Agriculture, in response to
an inquiry as to the states official
interest in the matter. The letter
appeared first in last weeks issue of
the Lyndon Union:
BRANDON, VT, March 81, 1894.
Hon. B. F. LINCOLN,
Dear Sir 1t is fact that tuberculo-
sis exists among cattle, and has existed
for hundreds of years, and was legislated
against back as far as the Middle Ages.
1t is really the same disease as consump-
ton in the human family, and NAV be
communicated from one to the other
under favora BILE circumstances. 1t is
probably might be classed as a conta-
gious disease, though it is claimed to be
the least contagious of all contagious
diseases. 1T works very slowly and ami
mails and people live many years and
often die of other diseases, even when
they have this disease.
1t cannot be communicated from one
animal to another or from animals to
man or from man to animals, unless
the subject is pre-disposed to consump-
ton.
A perfectly healthy and strong consti-
tuition is proof against contagion in man
or cattle.
There are several objections to the cat
tie commissioners taking very decided
steps to exterminate the disease.
1st-There are only two ways known
so far to detect the disease except where
it is in its advanced stages and in the
lungs. One is to kill the suspected ami
NAL and examine it. The other is the
tuberculosis test, but this test does not in
dictate the degree of the disease, and we
are likely to kill animals that would do
good work for many years as the worst
cases.
2d-It is still question how danger
Gus to the human family the use of meat
and dairy products from tuberculous
cattle may be.
There is so much uncertainty that we
do not feel warranted in spending large
sums of money in discriminating the dis
ease until more is known about it,
1t is for the interest of cattle owners
to guard the health and constitution of
their herds, and kill off any they suspect.
Very truly,
c. M. WINsLOW.
In response to inquiry from A.