Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-09-06
TRUTH ABOUT COLLEGE HERD.
SENSATIONAL STORIES OF DEATHS
BY DRINKING MILK DIsPROyED.
Professor Georgeson. Who Is a Skilled
Veterinarian. Gives Some ln-
terestinE Facts in Regard
To the Prevalence of
the Disease.

Kansas agricultural college herd at this
place continue the one absorbing topic of
conversation. chiefly because they contain
one lone item OF trutl-the existence of
the disease in the herd. II is no new and
startling discovery, as stated, its presence
in various stages having been known for
long time, and reported to the regents
at intervals and minutes OF. the reports
printed in the proceedings of the board,
there are no such persons employed at
the college as those named in the various
dispatches. and nobody has contracted tu-
berculosis as the result of using milk from
the herd. But one college empioye is sick,
and he has malarial fever. of which there
are many cases in the vicinity.
DESTROYS of learning further facts. your
correspondent had second interview with
Professor Georgeson, the late professor of
agriculture, responsible for the herd. Pro-
fessor Georgeson is an expert in dairy mat
tiers. his ability having been recognized
by Secretary Rusk of the United States
department of agriculture in appointment
as special commissioner to inquire into
the dairy industry of Denmark. the results
of which inquiry were printed and widely
complimented on the thorough manner in
which he had done his work. He may
properly he regarded as an authority in
dairy affairs.
''Is it not fact that tuberculosis is more
prevalent than IS generally supposed?" was
asked.
Certainly. II Is true that because of the
difficulty of detecting the disease except
in advance stages it is present in many
hsarr rrle
of it, 1t is also true that a COW may have
the disease for many years without show
ing any outward symptoms that would
enable even a skilled veterinarian TO detect
IT by physical examination. 1t was not
until the discovery of the reagept known
as tnberculin that il was possible to de-
tect the disease even in badly affected an
imals. If they did not show a general con-
stitutional debility. AS soon as the lymph
could be obtained in this country | rec
commended 10 the board that the whole
herd be tested and obtained permission to
test five animals. one of which was found
TO be tuberculous. At about the same time
the experiment stations in Pennsylvania
Michigan and Wisconsin tested their herds,
with the result that considerable per-
centage Of the cattle in these herds proved
TO be tuberculous. Since then similar
tests have been made at many other sta
uons with the same result. 1t would be
preposterous 10 suppose that il is only the
!. cattle at these experiment stations which
are tuberculous. The disease must be
common all over the country. In Massa-
en1usetts en- the law pr9yides for the testing of
ber of tuberculous animals have been found
The diseased animals are killed under the
state law. and the owners compensated
Tor their loss. Other Eastern states are
contemplating the adoption of similar meas
nres of protection against the disease. In
Germany, Denmark and Sweden, tuberculin
has been used as a test for the detection
of this disease during the past five years
and the results are precisely the same as
those obtained here. a large number of
= animals have been found to be affected.
Nor is the disease confined to pure bred
stock. as has so frequently been claimed.
Common scrub cattle are just as liable 10
contract the disease as are the pure bred.
and in some cases even more, inasmuch as
me! are not SO Well cared for and are
more. exposed 10 the inclemencies of the
weather.
THE dis -ase is not new. The tubercles
which are the characteristic formation OF
the disease have been found in cattle for
ages past without causing the slightest
arm. Nor is there amy cause for alarm
al pr s mt. While the disease may be con-
We! cd TO human beings from the milk or
meat of diseased animals. the probability
csedirgly rare. In the. large, dairy herds
of Denmark. in some Of which 50 per cent
of the cattle Were affected, ii was found
eased animals contained tuberculous germs
and animals giving diseased milk could
usually be readily detected by the kernels
fortunately, also. readily destroyed if the
milk or meat containing them is heated 10
4 temperature of tile boiling point of wa
Ter. They are completely sterilized so far
as the tuberculous germs are concerned.
While ii Is an Imperative duty TO pro-
tect the public health and TO guard against
the spread of disease. there is no greater
cause for alarm now than there has always
been, the only difference being that now
he
while formerly we had not. Dr. ID. l..
Salmon. chief Of the bereau of animal in
dustry III the national department of az
riculture, read an interesting and highly
instructive paper on the general subject OF
bg vine tub rc4losis before the Kansas
ago. 1t is published in the biennial H.
port of the secretary OF the board. Tor
lhsl-s2 think, TO which interested readers
Asked for, further facts in regard TO the
o9lsge ,ege herd, herd the ,1roGs: professor said
again made an earnest appeal TO the
board for permission to test the herd with
tuberculin. This request was finally grant.
ed. II being understood that the depart
ment of agriculture at Washington would
furnish the tubCrculin free of cost TO thu
institution. The test consists in making
4 hypodermic injection of the suhstauc.
known as tuberculin. II the animal is
diseased, ii will cause 4 rise in The tenn.
perature of from To degrees. Tb, tas,
was made by the college veterinarian last
winter. and eighteen Of the fGty-iive ami,
characteristic rise in temperature These
animals were at once separated from In,
sound ones, the barn was d'sinfected anf
al prec2u ions tak"n TO prevent the spre AZ
of the disease. This was the condition OF
affairs when she present governing board
met early in April. Both DR.. Mavo. III,
college Veterinarian and myself at thai
time made detailed rcporis to the boart
in regard to the result of the test anf
made recommendations and asked for I'M.
structioDs for the disposal OF the diseased
arimals. The board paid no attention
whatever TO these repor'S or took any ac.
tion in regard Ia the subject / was there
fore pow rlcss to do any hing furth r tb1r
TO continue the quarantine. The diseased
animals were placed on the hills in an iso
lated pasture. and the sound ones nut Z,
the pasture of the Old college farm = mil,
swey VIII 10 TWO AFT -c'ed bulls which cou't
not be turned on pasture were Isolate,
at the barn and special drinking vessel,
and feed boxes provided for them, onl,
two of the eighteen animals which reattet
to the test gave any sign whatever o
college veterinarian. who also made post
mcr'em examirat'on of them which con
firmed the correctness Of the test. Tina
ing full knowledge of the facts for soy
eial months spring tuberculosis scar
on the public and state that the fact tha
tuberculosis exists there is a discovery h.
" preposterHus, and shows alike th7ir con
tempt for the truth and their desire L
cast discredit on the men who differe
from them on fundamental principles -
.'rTheSe dispatches say. too, that seyerl
persons Mrs. Georgeson among them. ar
suffering from tuberculosis as the resul
of using milk from the college herd
there any truth in that?''
This is a preposterous nisstatement o.
n mar with the rest. Mrs. GeorgeSon ha
been indisposed for short time from a
mock and Mr.. w. X Ireland a teamste
an the college farm. the only person