The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-02-05
tuberculosis.

There may now be observed through
out the civilized world, says the New
York Times, lively and growing inter-
est in measures designed to exclude
the germs of infectious diseases from
the milk and meat supplies. We have
pointed out from time to time the
progress in several states of this coun-
try of the movement for the protection
of consumers against supplies of milk
from herds of consumptive COWS.
Our Australian exchanges report the
beginning of an attempt to purify the
dairy herds in that country.
There was held in Melbourne on No.
vember IA conference of forty dele
gates, representing the local govern
ments of the suburban and other settle
ments in the province or colony of Vic
toria. A committee reported concern
ing slaughter. houses and the meat of
diseased cattle, as we'll as with respect
to milk. After having inspected diaries
and dairy herds, it is reported that in
some cases both cattle and premises
were unfit for dairying purposes, and
that the same want of effective super
vision and inspection hat exists in the
meat supply is painfully manifest in
the milk supply" Tuberculous cows
were found, and the committee pointed
out that the milk from such cows was
dangerous to consumers. Unless the dis
ease should be detected and removed"
the committee added, "the milk sup
ply must always be source of very
great danger to humanity" 1t was
recommended that all dairy cattle
should be inspected =" once, at least, in
every three months"
Just before this conference was held
there was introduced in the Victorian
parliament bill providing for The in
this bill was warmly advocated by the
Melbourne press. "COlumns might be
filed" said the Argus of that city,
"with convincing testimony as to the
frightful consequences of the supineness
which permits milk obtained from dis
eased cows to be sold broadcast. The
records of the Children's Hospital are
eloquent as to the ravages among in
fants as result of the use of infected
milk"
The work of cleansing the herds is
going on in New York, Massachusetts,
Connecticut, and several other states.
1t is noticeable that many of the con-
sumptive cows recently killed by the
authorities of Connecticut and Massa-
chusetts were found in the hill towns of
the western parts of those states. and,
in the case of Connecticut, in district
from which milk is shipped to this city.
In Massachusetts,, under the old Jaw
(xxthi ch
sioners to inspect any herd, and gave
the owner half the appraised value of
condemned cows) the test was applied
to 3 1895 animals, $40 of which Cor "a .58
per cent? were found to be tuberculous.
The new law, in force since June 8, en-
powers the commissioners to apply the
test only when owners ask for it or per-
NIT it TO be used, and gives the owner
full value. But the requests for in
spe ctions are 80 many that the COM
missioners cannot keep up With them.
Since June 8 there have been inspected
GAL animals, and 1,243 of these, or
"a, ID per cent, were found to be tuber-
culous.
In Connecticut, under the statute en-
acted in August last, the state has paid
nearly $4,000 for tuberculous cows con-
demned and killed. Some work re-
Gently done by the authorities in the
town OF Pomfret, a summer resort in the
northeastern part of the state, has been
quite effective in attracting attention to
the sanitary value of the inspections.
There was in Pomfret large herd Of
Jerseys, belonging to George l.. Brad.
ley, who" says the Hartford Courant,
" has furnished milk, cream and butter
to the people who spend their summers
in the town." OF the ftty.two animals
no less than forty-four responded to the
tuberculin test, and were killed in the
presence of a considerable number of
physicians, veterinarians and owners of
live stock. The carcasses were drawn
away by two large oxen, and these
oxen, also being tuberculous, were
slaughtered after their days work was
done.
The inability of owners or veterina-
rians to detect the presence of the dis
ease without the aid of tuberculin is