The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-01-30
DR.. SCOTT REPLIES.
Defends HE Treatment of the Houston
Herd of Cattle.

with tuberculosis, respecting which a
letter from DR.. Salmon appeared in
this paper a few days ago.
4 In the fore part of November"
said Dr. Scott, j" / received a letter
from S. II. Seamans and Mr.. Kellogg,
Of Milwaukee, stating that R. S. Hous-
ton, of RanneY, Kenosha county, had a
large herd of cattle consisting of Jer-
sey and Guernsey cows), among which
some unknown disease was running.
The letter said that number of the
cattle had died during the summer and
that others were still sick. The writ
ers of the letters were afraid that Mr..
Houston had pleuro-pneumoni among
his herd, and asked me to go and in
vestigate the matter for the reason that
they were deeply interested, both of
them having large herds, and one of
their farms lying adjacent to Mr.. Hous-
toms. I visited Mr.. Houston's place
and introduced myself, and stated to
him that the parties mentioned had
sent NE there. Mr.. Houston said he
7estigate his cattle, that he had lost a
number and had some more sick, so
that he was puzzled to know what was
the matter. | examined the herd, and
was but short time coming to the
conclusion. [ had Mr.. Houston lead
out COW that was sick and killed her
in his presence, and made a postmor-
TEN examination. | can Conscientious
ly say there were three quarts of mat
ter in her lungs. / then explained to
him what the trouble was, and told
him he had tuberculosis in his herd, but
that would not condemn them until |
had used the tuberculosis test. He was
thoroughly satisfied, stating that he was
pleased to know what the trouble was.
He remarked then that his friend in
Massachusetts, he had noticed in the
paper, had lost all his herd the same
way. He added that if his herd was
diseased it would be a big loss, but that
he would never be guilty of selling dis
eased milk / tested his herd of cattle
and deny the statement that. he pub
lished in the paper at the time their
temperature was taken.
Temperatures of the Cattle.
81 have tested in the neighborhood
of 500 head of cattle, and I have rule
to go by which [ claim is indisputable.
The cattle are fed and watered in the
morning. take their normal temper
allure the same morning, as [ did be-
tween and 9 o'clock a. m. | inject
them with tuberculin the same day be-
tween 6 and z p. m. The following
morning [ take their temperature be-
tween 7 and s a. m. Of Mr.. Houston's
herd thirty eight out of sixty Tor 63per
cent? were found by the test to be in
fected by tuberculosis. Of the twenty
two ANIMALS not reaching to the test,
the average temperature previous to
incubation was 101.5, and only three
of the twenty two registered higher af-
ter incubation. Of the thirty eight
animals reaching to the test the aver
age temperature before incubation was
1909 plus, and after incubation was
104.8 minns.
g At the Northern Hospital for the
Insane sixty-nine cattle were tested
under the same conditions with one re-
action, this animal proving tuberculosis
on postmortem. Of the sixty eight
animals not reaching the average, tenn
perature before incubation was 100 and
$40 and after incubation 100 and ITO
or one and one-tenth Q.) degrees low
er after a fast of twenty-four hours.
Only two animals out Of sixty eight
registered higher after incubation.
contrad1cts DR.. Salmon.
81 give these figures to show the
omission of the evening feed was be-
cause it tended to interfere with the &C
curacy of the test. 1t is a well known
physiological fact that the process of
digestion produces rise in tempera-
ture, and that giving the cattle water
decreases the temperature. But this
was not Mr.. HousUon's or Mr.. Esta
brooks opinion. They tried to make
out that by depriving cattle OF food and
water for twenty four hours increased
the temperature of the cattle and the
test was inadequate. l therefore give
them these facts which must convince
them. AS to Dr.. Salmon's letter which
appeared short time ago, I was some
what surprised at his remarks. Think
| it would have been more courteous if
he had written to me and found out the
facts of the matter before writing his
letter. [ do not agree with DR.. Sal
mon, and l think the majority of the
veterinary surgeons and medical men
will uphold me. In the first place he
does not think it necessary to deprive
cattle of food and water through the
test. An accurate test cannot be taken
by giving the animals food and water,
and have proved this in the expert
ence of 500 head. In the second place
he admits that tuberculosis is con-
| tagious disease of a malignant and very