The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-03-26
ABOUT TuBEncuhosIs.



DR.. PctrIO Givos Some fnct' of startling
Interest To tho ruhllC.
10 he Edtor Of he Ia'eli9'nc.r
Sin: In reply to IAN Inquiry About
Tuberculosis" by Mr.. George Iddings
in your Saturdays issue, will say that
| hAvo no knowledge as 10 tho heath Of
cattlo In the four dairica ho mentions.
l will also say that do not think 1t Is
my duty TO condemn any particular
herd or any ono breed Of cattle. Al
though some breeds may DO more gug.
cup.ihlo to the disease than others, mono
arc proof againstii. However | will say
that | M positive tina. Tuberculosis
oXistl in some OF tho dNirlGs supplying
Wheeling with milk, aud have good
reaSon to believe that othofs ARE nj
iecled.
II proper measures were taken tho
questions in the article referred to would
Oa answered very plainly.
tuberculosis is not II new diGeasO
either in people or animals. In tho
past when this disease affected the
iungs i, wag called phlhisiq or coniump-
ton, but when 1t affected tho liver or
bowels it was called Tuberculosis; or
when tho tubCrClCS were found in tho
nose II was called lupus. These diseases
arc found to be duo TO the samu causes;
that is tho bacillus tuberculosis. 1t j,
without doubt contagious, and to n great
extent prCvCntablo. In many casos per-
sous got 1t from one another, but there
10 sufficient proof that others got it from
milk or meat that is taken from ami.
mails affected with tho disease.
England, Franco and Germany have 4
close inspection OF milk and meats and
reject all such products from animals
affected with tuberculosis. The state
boards OF health OF. New York aud
Pennsylvania arc making inspections Of
cattle and destroying all thus affected.
Since the appearance OF tho articles
on the subject in your paper recently,
some OF tho milmcn in Ohio have made
an effort to have their diaries examined
by the state board OF health. Should
this be accomplished Wheeling would
derive its share Of tho benefit, rs large
quantities OF milk arc brought hero
from that aide OF the river.
In looking over the records Of the city
health officer | find the following facts:
Deaths from IsD 1891. 1897 1873
Typhoid fever ...... l.! 80 - T.
TubcrculosiS....".. 50 81 ST 70
You will see that there has been
great falling oil in the death rate from
typhoid fever. You know tho reason.
Strict sanitary measures woro adopted
by the city health officer aud have been
continued up to the present time, re-
sulting IN the death rate from that dis
case being reduced to less than 10 per
cent OF what it was four years ago.
With proper caro- and inspection the
death rato from tuberculosis could be
worry much reduced. In making up the
table l placed all deaths recorded from
phthisis, consumption and tuberculosis
under the same head. since they orig
mated from tho same bacillus. 1t may
be in the power OF the city council to
cope with tho question, but it should
not be made local affair. 1t should
be governed by state laws and be placed
in tho hands Of the state board OF
health or the state board OF agriculture,
or both. y still bettcr plan would be
to appoint state dairy and food com
mission, such as other states have, for
the close inspection OF all food products.
Let tho state legislature pass proper
laws and appoint Independent and in
telligent men as commissioners. Then
iavoritism will be out OF the question
and the public will derive the benefit.
WILLIAM PETRlE,
Veterinary Surgeon.
Wheeling, March "a.