Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-12-27
Board of Agriculture.
Official Report of Its Work for the
Past Three Weeks.

President Buckham and Gov. Wood
bury.
The organization was made b.
electing G. NJ. Winslow of Brandon
secretary, and V. |. Spear of Brain
tree, statistical secretary.
The general plan of institute worl
followed in the past, which has giveI
two institutes of two DAYS each every
week, was considered satisfactory and
will be continued; also the policy OF
holding single day meetings in the
smaller towns, attended by portion
of the Board, was approved and viii
be continued wherever practicable this
season. 1t was voted to continue the
collecting and publishing of statistics
relating to the various industrial in
terests of the state, and advertising
the opportunities that Vermont offers
for the investment of capital and for
the employment of labor.
The matter of greatest importance
that came before the meeting was the
position the Board were to take with
reference to the law recently passed
by the legislature on contagious cattle
diseases and especially tuberculosis. 1t
was decided that the situationre required
that quarantine be established along
the borders of the state, and it was
voted that this be done when the law
goes into effect Feb. LIST, 1895. I'M
der this quarantine, cattle coming in
TO the state to remain here will be sub
jected to an examination and, when
though necessary, viii be tested with
tuberculin. IL was voted that applica-
tions for testing herds in the state be
referred to the Board for action, and
the applications will be acted upon in
the order that the public good seems
to demand. 1t was voted to investi-
gate herds in the state on the applica-
ton of boards of health, selectmen or
petition signed by six citizens; and if,
upon investigation, cattle are found
infected with a contagious disease, they
and their products will be quarantined
until such cause is removed.
On Thursday and Friday, an insti-
tute was held at South Burlington.
This meeting was not very largely at
tended. The business of the farmers
in this locality is largely the raising
of vegetables for the city of Burling-
ton, and they therefore have different
interests than the ordinary Vermont
farmer.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec.
IL and II, an institute was held at
Franklin. The hall was well filled at
the opening of the meetings by the
farmers OF Franklin and adjoining
towns.
The subject for discussion at the
session was Tuberculosis
and was treated by Mr.. Winslow. He
said that what many people were call
ing new disease by the name OF tu-
berculosis was, in reality, very old
disease which has been known since
before the Christian era, and that
avs were enacted to suppress it as far
back as the fifteenth and sixteenth |
it is only the name that is
new. Consumption, of which it is one
If the forms, is disease known for a
ong time among both men and AMI
mails. 1t may be said that tuberculo-
is is consumption, but consumption
: not always tuberculous. The fears
If the people have been unduly ex-
.ited, as there is no evidence that the
disease is more common now than for
ome time past. Now we are able us
Tally to detect il by the use of tuber-
ulin. Formerly we had no certain
means of detecting it. In reference to
he tubereulin test, he said it was
diagnostie agent, but did not
onsider it absolutely infallible. II
Ioes not show the extent of the dis
ase but simply reveals whether or not
is present. Did not think its use up
n healthy animals would have any
INJURIOUS effect; but animals having
he disease fail much more RAPIDLY af-
er tuberculin has been applied. In
eference to the danger to the public /,
ealth from consuming milk or meat
I tuberculous animals, he said that !
alta from Investigations are not yet
full to answer this ques-
on fully. 1t has been shown that
ne disease may be communicated to {.
Their animals by incubation with the
lilk of tuberculous animals, and il is q
elieved that it may be communicated .
human beings if they are predis- y
osed to the disease. Young children 2
nd people with consumptive tenden- !.
les are most likely to take it, and l
hen there is any doubt as to the meat 9
nd milk which are to be consumed. a
ley should be made safe. The meat Y
Y thorough cooking has all of the
lbercle bacilli destroyed, and in milk y
icy may be destroyed by heating for :
minutes to temperature of Ices y
is not thought that these bacilli are G
'nveyed in the milk of animals ONLY Z
lightly affected. 1t is when tubercles u
i've formed in the udder or in a case y
generalized tuberculosis that the L
ilk is found TO be affected. Did not
ink it best that all the dairymen Of a
e state have their herds tested with