The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-05-03
TO BE INSPECTED.
DIARY HERDS AROUND rIANKATO
WILL BE TESTED.
Health Officer Jacoby and Veterinary
Inspector Standish Will Use the Tu-
berCulin TeSt-COnSumptive Cows
VIII Be kilIed-Milk Consumers
To Be Protected.

The discovery of tuherculin as a
sure test of the presence Of cOnsump-
tion in cattle has led to great results
where it has been put to practical
use, and it is now coming into very
general practical use. 1t is poison
that attacks the germs of tubercu-
losis, and the activity that results in
the system of the animal that has
this dread disease causes a rise in
temperature. If the cow is perfectly
healthy, the poison passes off, and
there is no rise in temperature. The
test has been tried on the dairy herds
in many of the large cities, and has
been proved to be nearly infallible.
The cattle showing rise in tempera-
ture have been slaughtered, and an
examination has shown that the tu-
bercular deposits were present in all
the organs. tuberculosis in COWS
sooner or later finds it's way into the
udder, and the germs and more
dreaded spores pass off with the milk,
to enter the systems Of those using
the milk, and very frequently the
disease is thus contracted by human
beings. Medical science has lately
found that the prevalence Of con-
sumption can be considerably reduced
by destroying consumptive COWS in
dairy herds.
The finest bred herds are the ones
most apt to have tuberculosis, as they
are inbred more than others, and
therefore weakened in system. Where
COWS are healthy to begin with, and
are kept in well-ventilated and clean
stables, and given plenty of good food
and pure water, there is little danger
of their becoming consumptive in
this climate, and the percentage Of
tuberculous COWS is less in the country
than in the large cities.
The subject has lately been taken
up at Minneapolis and many of the
dairy herds examined, with the result
that some of the COWS were found to
be diseased.
In many Of the cities the dairy
herds are officially tested and certiti-
Gates granted when the herds were
found to be healthy, or when the un-
healthy COWS had been killed. The
milk consumers were so anxious to
secure healthy milk that the custom
of those who had certificates increased
wonderfully, and the dairy keepers
were anxious to have their cattle
tested, as a matter Of good business
policy.
Health Officer Jacoby intends to
make an inspection of the milk herds
around MankatO, in order that our
people may be sure of a pure supply
of milk. He has used the tuberculin
test in the past with good results, and
knows how to handle it. DIR. Standish
is also taking an interest in the mat
ter, for the state board of health is
DESTROYS to have the herds tested,
and both doctors will work together.
1t is their intention to begin work
soon, and test all the herds and grant
certificates. 1t is felt that the dairy
men will be glad to cooperate, for if
they have diseased cattle they will
undoubtedly be glad to know it and
not longer endanger the health of
their patrons. 1t is not known that
any of the cattle are diseased, and a
test may develop that there are none.
We hope that this will be so. Yet a
cow may be far advanced with con-
sumption and show no outward symp-
tom, and the only way to find out is
to apply the tuberculin test.
In speaking of the subject, DR.. ia
CODY said today: "We will take the
temperature of the cows to be exam
ined, securing it accurately for sew
eral days before the test. Then we
will inject hypodermically the proper
amount of the tuberculin, and watch
the temperature at different times
after this. If there is decided rise,
that will show almost conclusively
that the cow is affected, and the ex-
animation after killing her will show
this beyond dispute. l have no tuber-
culin on hand now, but will get some.
81 have been considering this mat
ter for a long time, and have felt that
it ought to be done. OF course, it is a
matter that must be handled rightly,
and if this is done, l don't look for
any opposition on the part of the
milk men. When public sentiment
is aroused, they will be only too glad
to be able to show certificates, as it
will mean more business for them,
and any that hold off will lose bust
ness.
''It would be well if the herds