The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-10-13
LIVE STOCK.
sOME NURSERIES FOR TUBER-
CULOSIS.

3AAAA~A ~S
have been interested in the bulle-
tinssent out by the experiment stations,
and by the Bureau of Animal Indus
try, on the subject of tuberculosis, and
have been especially interested in the
preventive measures recommended. l
notice that most authorities agree on
the means of transmission, and the I'M
portance of disinfection to destroy the
germs that float about in the dust OF a
house or building, where the disease Is
present. Powerful germicides are
recommended that will destroy them.
Ihave often wondered whether inspect
ors and appointed officials who con
denim the cattle and kill them, usually
attend to the disinfection, and 1 have
taken pains to inquire. I have asked
members OF the State Board of Agricul-
ture of Rhode Island, who do the in
specting, if they disinfect the quarters
occupied by the diseased animals.
They tell me that they do not. They
some times tell the farmer to disinfect,
but they do not do it themselves. They
say that our State makes no provision
for disinfection, and no money is ap
propriated for that purpose. l have
inquired in certain parts Of Massachu-
sets, where many cows have been
killed, but could not learn Of a single
instance of an inspector having dlsin-
fecked the stalls or the building, or
even the floor soiled by pus during the
post mortem examination. The con
demned cattle out of a large herd kept
inone barn they kill and open the con
demned cattle, and in some cases, the
diseased organs are laid on the barn
floor. The organs are usually removed
in a bag and buried near by, and the
carcass carted to Brighton to be made
into fertilizer. Will not the soiled floor
contain injecting material7 Is there no
danger of the carcass, which is carted
to Brighton, giving off infection before
it is turned into f%ertilizer9
1t seems to me that it is State money
thrown way to condemn and kill cat
tie, and then neglect to kill or attempt
to exterminate the seeds Of the disease
that remain. Should not disinfectiOn
20 hand in hand with other measuresi
Should not every diseased COW not
only be destroyed, but every germ that
may be lurking in the dust or cracks
and crevices in manger or stalls, be
surely killed by the proper agent?
Water troughs, tubs, and the pals with
which diseased cattle have come in
contact, should not escape thorough
disinfe csion, if the theories and reason.
ing of the veterinarians are correct. If
they are right, why are not ordinary,
common sense precautions generally
taken by State officials, at the time the
cattle are killed. You might as we'll
leave the farmer to discover and kill
his diseased cattle, as to expect him or
trust him properly to disinfect his in
fected buildings, It seems to me that
great plumbers are being committed,
and that the thing ought to be shown
up, and the people educated in this
matter.
Will prominent veterinarians ex-
press themselves on this matter of dis
~infection7 Should it be done or not7 l
think that it might be worth while to
look up cases where cattle have been
killed, and find out whether disinfec
ton Of their quarters has been followed.
The record Of scores of such cases in
various States would show what is the
practice. II the scientific authorities
agree that disinfection should not be
neglected, should not farmers demand
a Law compelling State officials to dis
infect premises as we'll as test, con
denim and kill cattle2
We hear of cattle being condemned
and killed on a certain farm, not once
only, but year after year. If the in
spectorIs work is a success, if his mis-
sion to stamp cut and prevent the dis
ease is not a failure, should case follow
case, year after year, on the same
farm2 1t would seem that, at present,
the efforts made in many sections to
stamp out the diseases, are a failure
The ripes5 and most rotten specimens
only, whose milk and fl sh are danger
GUS, are killed, and the disease con.
tinues to propagate and flourish, even
where the Inspector has been.-Samuel
Cushman, in The Rural New Yorker.