The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-11-14
Tuberculosis Bills.

To the Edtor:-It seems that the people
of the state and the members of our legis.
lature are 80 thoroughly convinced of the
necessity of some action regarding the sub
ject of tuberculosis in our cattle, tn 1t it
only remains to determine what is the right
an the best thing to do under the present
circum stances and in the present state of
our knowledge. Massachusetts already
guarantees against our cattle and at any
time may do so against our dairy pr oducts.
Several bills have already been intro
duced in the legislature with a view to anne
liorating the existing tuberculous trouble.
One, by some senator, is only aimed at one
evil, the use of dairy products coming from
tubercul)us herds another, in the house,
looking to the disposition of diseased ami
mails when they shall have been in any way
discovered. This bill is apparently from
the board of agriculture aud proposes to
leave the subject of bovine tuberculosis
with this board. AS at present constituted
the board is made up of good men and true,
who are abundantly able to discourse upon
the best means of working the farms of the
state, men whom we all delight to honor,
but we do not understand that they have
ever received the scientific training requi-
site to an examination into the causes
means of control, cure and prevention of
this or 9th Or diseases which affect stock or
domestic animals.
Why should this very important matter,
matter fraught with so much danger to
the health of our people, with so much
danger to our dairy interests, be committed
to board, none of whose members have
been educated in the lines of thought and
work re Iuired for thorough examination
of this subject? When the state deter
mined tobuild the Alburgh bridge, which
was to cost few thousand dollar it did
not put the matter into the hands of the
board of agriculture, but into the hands of
educated and scientific engineers, al
though it is probable that the good com
mon sense and business knowledge of the
different members of the then board of ag-
riculture made them as we'll qualified for
that duty as do the same qualifications
make the present board qualified for the
task which will devolve upon those to
whom this question of tuberculosis may Ill
tmately be referred.
There has been introduced into the house
another bill which proposes to put this ques-
ton into the hands of scientific men to be
appointed by the governor. 1t requires that
they shall examine thoroughly into the
whole matter and report to his excellency.
No sum of money is appropriated for this
work, but the matter of expense is to oe
left entirely to the governor. The sum that
he may use, should circumstan ,es re Iuire,
is ten thousand dollars in any one year. but
not cent can be spent without his APP
proval. Does any one believe that in this
there is any danger of extravaganza? In
fact, would it not be better if this provision
o, the bill compelled the expenditure of a
reas lnable sum to effect the required inves-
tigaton? Again, this bill provides two safe
guards agansr the enthusiasm Of scientists
whose regula ions might be too rsdical or
expensive, for on these points, both the
governor and the chancellor may prevent
any unjust measure being issued or en-.
forced. While this bill may not be the best
that Gould be devised, does it not come
nearer meeting the requirements of I 10
Z hpf II q or hut hao
been suggested? Would it not be wise t.
make this bill the law of the state in prefer.
ence to any other measure now before the
legislature? d.