Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1894-08-23
IN OUR OWN STATE.
Experim emit Station Bulletin.

Experime emit Station Bulletin.
Below will be found the summary of
Bulletin AZ on bovine tuberculosis
which is now being issued by the ex-
pertinent station at Burlington. This
summary gives the gist of the bulletin,
in which 1t is printed in bold black
faced type. The bulletin contains 36
pages and several illustrations, discuss
es the disease as found at the station
and in the state, as well as its nature,
causes. symptoms, LESSONS, means of
prevention, ETC., and describes at length
the tuberculin or Koch's lymph test for
tuberculosis. The bulletin is indexed
on its title page for ready reference.
The experiment station expects to make
an exhibit at the state, interstate and
valley fairs this fall. One feature of
the exhibit will be the tuberculous or
gans of some of the station cows killed
last winter. This we feel certain will
prove an excellent object lesson todairy-
men and stock growers. The bulletin
on tuberculosis or any other bulletin or
report Of this ststion, will be sent free
of charge upon application. A postal
card is sufficient. Summary:
The station veterinarian has this year
made over thousand injections of tub
erculin, mostly in this state. Two hum
bred and twenty-five animals were
found badly diseased, 220 were slaugh-
tered and found tuberculous. Omitting
two badly infected Vermont herds but
80 animals were tuberculous out of 662
tested, in 81 different herds. These fig
ures should not be taken as indicating
the prevalence of the disease in this
state, since the injections were made
only in herds where it was feared the
disease existed.
tuberculosis is the general name for
a class of diseases which attack various
organs and which both man and ami
NAL readily contract. The human death
rate from all forms of the disease is
about one in four. The disease has been
known from antiquity both in man and
animal The sole and exciting cause
of this disease is germ called the bacil-
lus tuberculosis. 1t has great vitality,
resists heat, cold, moisture, drought,
decay and often the process of diges-
ton. 1t is killed by boiling, by long
continued heat at from $50 to 10 de-
grees, as well as by sunlight, air end
certain chemicals. Infection occurs Q)
by breathing the germs; (2) by swal-
lowing the germs; 81 by their entrance
| through cut or wound. The three
general sources of infection are: % The
dust of the dried spittle of consumptives
or other tuberculous matter, either
breathed or swallowed; (2) contact with
| tuberculous material or people; (3) the
meat and milk of tuberculous animals
| The bacillus tuberculosis is the sole
cause of the disease, but there are con-
ditions so favorable to its development
that they are well termed accessory
causes, although strictly speaking they
are not causal. Among these condi-
tons are: Q) Hereditary predisposition;
| ~ unhealthy surroundings, poor venti-
lation, uncleanly, dark, damp, hot and
cold stabling, soiling system, lack of
exercise, climatic influences; 81 faulty
feeding, under feeding, over feeding,
feeding on unwholesome or indigesta-
BILE materials, over production; az faulty
breeding, in and inbreeding, early, late
and frequent breeding, intensive breed
| ing, lack of constitution; (5) ill-health,
temporary predisposition; (6) physical
| constitution.
The symptoms of bovine tuberculosis
are more obscure than those of the hui
man disease, and often battle detection.
Any attempt to describe them would
probably prove misleading rather than
instructive. Wherever the germs locate
in the body they irritate the tissue,
forming round nodular masses. Some
times the tubercles are too small for the
naked eye to see.
| Tuberculin is made from pure cul-
lures of the tubercle bacillus, concen-
trated, sterilized to kill all germ life and
filtered. 1t contains the chemical
poisons created by the life funtions OF
the germs. If a small quantity is in
jected into a tuberculous animal it will
produce fever, but, if the animal is
healthy and it is properly used there
should be no rise of temperature. An
increase of two degrees above the nor
NAL temperature is ground for suspi-
cion. The tuberculin test is not infalli-
BILE. 1t is, however, much more relia-
BILE than any other known means OF
diagnosis. Improperly made and used,
it cannot cause tuberculosis.
Both human and bovine tuberculosis
are infectious. Human tuberculosis at.
fects the lower animals and bovine tub
erculosis affects the man. 1t has been
claimed that tuberculosis does not exist
where there are no cattle, and that tub
erculosis infection was originally of bO-
vine origin. Experiments have shown
that the disease producing germ may
be present in the milk whether the I'D.
der is affected or not. If milk is steri-
LIKED by heat, or "pasteurized," it may
be considered safe to use.
Both human and bovine tuberculosis
are preventable, and the means which
may be taken to prevent its spread are:
Q) Official inspection of cattle, meat
and milk; ~ the destruction of human
spittle; (3) Careful disinfection of places
occupied by tuberculous men or ami
mails. The stock owner should keep
each animal in it's own stanchion,
should isolate suspected animals, buy
cautiously, exclude human and animal
consumptives from the barn, should
test newly admitted animals and, if he
finds the disease, should kill, bury OF
burn the diseased animals, disinfect
| tho premiSpS and fest tho rest of the