The record-union., 1895-03-23
SHALL THERE BE INSPECTION 2

SHALL THERE BE INSPECTION
Two years ago, and again a year ago
and since, the RECORD UNION called at
tention to the danger to health and life
from diseases among cows. When the
State Veterinary Association met in this
city and it was shown in that session that
a large percentage Of cows in California
are diseased, we urged upon the Super
visors OF this county and of all counties
the exercise of their right to order an in
spection OF dairy herds within their sew
eral jurisdictions.
At that meeting DR.. Maclay read pa
per on diseases in domestic animals that
revealed tue great extent to which COWS
are diseased, and the necessity that ex-
lists for sterilizing milk. He placed the
percentage Of consumption in cows very
high, and said that it has been only about
fifteen years since the disease became
alarmingly manifest in this country, but
it had spread most in the last five years.
Another veterinarian at that meeting de-
clared that calves from diseased cows are
butchered and sold for veal in most mar
kets, and that he had seen sheep slaugh-
tered for food in this city, the intestInes
Of which were filled with tapeworms, and
still others, the bodies of which were
half-covered with scab. Yet, he added, If
one goes before the Supervisors and
urges inspection of food animals, he is
most likely told that "his aim is selfish
and that he is seeking fat job"
No attention was paid to any of these
warnings. The Supervisors were too
busy denouncing that 'pestiferous" class
of people who believe that the time has
passed and gone when we should go to
mill with a stone in one end of the bag;
too busy pottering and calling the eau
tious and economic ''cranks and med.
dlers" TO give any sort OF attention to
the public health, while municipal au-
thorities were too much absorbed in evad-
ing water contracts to care about in
fected milk.
Again, when the dairy herd at the
Stockton Insane Asylum was found to be
affected with tuberculosis, and number
of the animals had to be killed. this jour
nal urged the county and city authorities
to give a few hours of time to ordering
inspection of milk-giving cows in this
city and county, but nothing was done.
Again, when a prominent veterinarian
/ pointed out that Is per cent. of all the
milk cattle from which domestic milk
supplies are drawn are dangerously dis
eased, we endeavored to quicken the lag
gard blood of officials, that they might set
on foot the inquiry as to how far cattle in
this city and county are affected.
But in none of these cases was anything
done, not even when Oakland and San
Francisco became alarmed over the re-
ports of their inspectors Of discoveries
made there that sicken one to recall.
| Now come new revelations, more horri-
BILE than we had supposed to be possible.
! They indicate that this one instance is
probably the type of many. They sug-
| gest that in every community in the State
inquiry should be set on foot to ascertain
how far infected milk is supplied to the
people as pure and wholesome.
It must be kept in mind that the milk
dealer may be ever so honest, believe his
cattle to be free from disease. point witt
pride to their sleek condition, and yet tht
terrible seeds of tuberculosis be coursinl
in the blood of every cow in the herd. and
injecting every drop of the milk he sell,
| 10 consumers.
The new incident that forms the basis