The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-05-27
BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS
DISCUSSED BY THE IN iSiCIdNs
LIST NIGHT.
They Appoint a Committee to Consider the
Question of Appointing "A Cattle In-
spcctOr for This city.

| .,.i,sia last night soon after Dr. Up
| shur called the meeting To ORDER 4"o
! subicct came up FOR special olscu7sio".
! pr. ". >. Gordon hrst opened the
! discussion. lie said he was sure there
/ was uo one present who would douot
that cows have tuberculosis. III once
. auy one who doubted the question al All
would witness the examination OF COW
! affected with this disease, he would not
continue TO say the subject was not one
| OF Importance Dr. Gordon quoted "A
number OF authorities who had recorded
! cases OF rabbits. guiuea-pigs, ana sneeD
/ being affected with tuberculosis. lie also
read from a well-known writer vino
dwelt upon the Copenhagen Milk sup
! ply Company s system OF testing all their
cows la order 70 be able 10 guarantee
TO their patrons absolutely pure milk.
| Dr. Gordon spoke at some length upon
| the question Of whether or not the disease
could be detected. lie referred 10
| number OF well-knOwn writer's upon the
subject OF the tlberculin method.
Under the subject Of how COWS are
| infected. Dr. Gordon explained Or. Har-
baugh's position as % the spread OF the
| disease holding that IL became infectious
among COWS at pasture, ana could in
short time spread throughout AN entire
/ herd. lie quoted from a Russian au-
thorty on the subject OF baoiln being dis
covered I'm milk. which tended TO prove
that such discovery could be readily made
He said be WAS not prepared TO dis
cuss the question as 10 whether the in
lection Of tuberculin was injurious TO
cattle. That was "a question for vetcr-
mary surgeons to consider. lie thought
that from the various authorities OF
high standing he had quoted il could
Doe seen that there was such a disease
as tuberculosis. which was developed in
people through mink or beef ana that
they boiling or cooking of the milk or
meat would not kin the germs When IL
was known that "a large number OF
children In n community where tuborcu-
lous cows were furnishing milk for Use
were dying with that disease which
could not Dee accounted for uuOn the
theory OF herodi,y. there must De reason
20 think that this circumstanual evil
dence carried very powerful arguments
with IN.
II had been demonstrated beyond all
question. said the speaker. that people
had died from tuberculosis contracted
through milk from an infected COW. and
io say that The theory was AN nonsense
would Doe bold assertion. which would
he hnscientiic and untenable. Whon
people were dying with disease which
ls known 20 pe contagious the fact that
some ono entering the room with ono
suiiering from the disease without con-
Waciing 1t would not Doe sufficient
grounds for one 10 say that the diseasa
was not infectious.
DIR. IRNlNG'S VIEWS.
pr. Gordon was followed bv DR.
Iaulus Irving. who SET forth his oh
serVauons at the pOst-mOItem cxamina-
non OF the cows belonging 10 Mr.. Grant
snort time ago. lie exhibited a nor
tloh OF "a lung Of one Of the COWS mr.
nouncod tubcrculOus by Or. Niles. tho
state veterinarian. showin,, tn. .a,aras
ol the disease upon the organ. Ho stated
that he wished 10 eIhstantiate tho AS
assertion or Or. Niles. and ne believed
punilc opinion would soon force the city
council 10 adopt "a system OF insuoc-
tion for both milk and beer sold ift this
city. such system was necessary.
said he. and he hoped 10 see the system
adopted as soon as practicable.
Dr. lpshur stated that he had noticed
that the question of bovine tuberculosis
had turned the city upside down. He
wished 10 talk on the question from a
purely practical standpoint. though all
lowed only ten minutes To set forth his
views.
The reports from the Board of Health |
showed that the mortality Of the city
T..
his twenty-eight years practice, said he. |
he had discovered not one single case OF |
tuberculosis developed through the con- |
sumption Of milk. In all cases that lie |
knew of consumption was due TO the |
tact that the system was run down from !
failure To take proper care OF tho pa |
ticnt. 4 system which had become weak |
and depressed by reason OF lack OF the /
proper food or yeutllluOn was much /
more subject 10 the disease and was iu /
u condition 10 develop tuberculosis even /
though neither mi4A or beef be used
The subject was further discussed by
Dr. Hugh Taylor. who argued that the
disease should DE guarded against IN
every way possible. He thought the
question ought 10 be agitated. and that
efforts should be made TO have legisla-
tlOu enacted IN regard 10 tho matter. Dr. |
TAYLOR said be WIS not willing " eat
beef from uaDerculOus cattle or drink
milk from infected COWS. and he would
advise his patients To take milk from
dalryInen VINO had secured clean bills
of health from reliable inspectors. lie
did not advocate the creation OF oauIc
by the people. Al the same time, he be
leged tie subject should be freely dis
cussed and all proper precaution taken
against the disease, which he doubted
llDL tuAlA HH A'f f'A'l'N+ Att+'"5tt 't.r s'-"
of milk and beef.
Dr. Michaux agreed with Or. Taylor
and thought that legislation, both State
and municipal should be enacted So AS to
guard against the malady.
DIDN'T BELIEVE ~ III.
That consumption is not contagious and
that there is uo necessity for alarm az
the recent agitation OF tuberculosis, Was
d view OF the subject taken by Or. " cli-
ford. who agreed with Dr. Jpshur that
there was no reason 10 stir up IL panic
about the tubercle. There had been
created from time TO time crazes on the
subject or watsr and meat, and now The
bacillus was Grating sensation. Feo-
pie all over the city. said ne, were "oF-
ried over what 10 cat. one or MS pa
.ieuts worked up TO Il state or deep con-
,er, had said 70 him that she could not
Eat any meat. could drink so MIX anu
ala NOT know what was coming next. lie
thought there was great dedal OF
lndue alarm on this subject.
pr Shields agreed with Or. Jpshur
,nlv in the view that there should bc
40 panic created among the people. lie
hourht however that the question should
,s discussed from time 20 time, and kept
before the people, until some legislation
.ould be enacted. lie believed that con
n,motion was contagious. and thought all
,ropsr precautions shuld be taken 10
prevent the spread OF the disease.
STOPPED DRINKING MILK.
DIR. Jones. d health officer OF Newport
News. stated that he had not drank any
milk since he had read the accounts 10
he papors OF the pOst-mOrtem examina- ,
ion held OH Mr.. Joseph Bryans cattle.
10 agreed with Or. Gordon and others In
hot. .f4t.p,.ufs about the disease and |