Birmingham age-herald., 1895-08-16
TUBERCULOSIS IN COWS.
AN INTERESTING CASE IN POINT
Veterinary Surgeons Dissect Cow Thus A. fiicted-Dangers to Consumers of Milk.
 Interesting Dissertation.

About a week ago dairyman who has his herd out near North Birmingham brought to the veterinary hospital of Drs. French & Drummond, in this city, COW in the last stages of tuberculosis. Her owner had been doetoring her for quite awhile without being able to make her former serviceable condition of useful ness
 The veterinary doctors, by a careful examination, discovered her to have an advanced case of tuberculosis. Tubereu- line injections were applied and other remedies resorted to, but without any beneficial results to the suffering animal. She WIS in terribly emaciated condition and could hardly move about Yester- day they decided it was useless to treat her further, and her owner not desiring to put her in his herd again Drs, French & Drummond had the animal killed for the purpose of making an examination of her afflicted organs Accordingly post mortem was held.
 They found that tubercle ranging from the size of hen egg to an almost inVisi- ble speck covered her itestines, mesen- tary glands, thyroid glands and the whole lymphatic system. Her lungs, spleen and liver were comparatively free of tubercle. Her joints were swollen to almost double tnelf normal SlZe. anu on cutting lnlO these the doctors discovered them to be filled with the tuberele.
 An Age-Herald reporter called at the hospital yesterday afternoon and was shown the dissected animal and the af- fected parts.
 In discussing the matter Dr. Drum- mond informed the reporter that they had been called on to attend three other similar cases in the past twelve months, all from dairy farms in the vicinity of Birmingham. He said there were Q great many cattle in this section af- fected with this disease, more than any one would imagine who had not investi- gated it. He said the fact that tuber- colosis existed among the cattle in the dairy farms rendered an inspection of the same necessary for the health of the peo- pie who used their milk.
 The disease is contagious, he said, and every person who drinks milk and eats butter is in danger of becoming inocu- lated with this death producing virus.
 In paper on the "Etiology of Tuber- culosis" pr. Albert Babb of Springfield, H., says:
 For the disease to be communicated the germs or their spores must be trans mitted It is mot probable that the bacilli multiply outside of the animal body, as their pulutation requires a me dum of from S5 to 105 degrees Fahren- heit, but they retain their vitality and XlIulence perature. All the liquid excreta carry them and may convey the contagion to sound animals.
 They abound in the saliva. Phthisical sputum will impart the disease by inocu- lation even after it has been dried several weeks, and in this state is equally as vir- ulent as moist. .. The mammary gland of a phthisical bovine secretes the bacilli, and they pass off in the lacteal fluid even when there is no local tuber- colosis present and no sign of mastitis in any form. But when the case is we'll advanced and gelatinous degeneration of the udder thoroughly established then is her milk particularly dangerous.
 Any kind of ingesta may prove car Tier of the contagion. Many of the car nivora, as well as chickens and pigs, ire quently get infected by eating the viscera of animals slaughtered for human food or deyouring parts of unburied carcasses.
 'In conclusion, let it be remembered that the reception of the bacilli, or their spores, into the animal economy is ab- solutely essential to the development of tuberculosis, and that without them no amount of abuse or bad hygiene can cause it"
 Recntly the board of health requested the chairman of the sanitary committee of the city council to appoint milk in- spector and to provide him with utensils for properly testing it. This action was taken on account of numerous com pIaints of impure milk reaching the ears of the board. These complaints, how ever, were confined to charges that some of those who served that article to GUS toners in the city put water in it.
 In accordance with the request of the health board Sanitary Inspector J. D. Gresham was instructed to make proper tests of milk offered for sale in the city.
 Tn view of the fact that the consumers are in far more danger from inoculation with bacilli, it has been suggested by several that some one should be ap- pointed to inspect the herds of cattle on the dairy farms from which the city gets it's supply of milk.