The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-06-30
LIGHT ON TUBERCULOSIS |
Continued from Page One.)

he replaces the condemned animals
by those which are tested and alleged
to be healthy.
We also wish to call attention to the
necessity of thorough inspection and
disinfecting of buildings in which con-
demned animals have been kept, and
this should be done at the earliest OPP
portunity under the order or super
vision of the Board of Cattle Commits
sioners or their agents, and before
new animals are placed therein.
From our observations at the inves-
tigation, we hold that the board of
cattle commissioners should at once
take into consideration notifications
of the law relative to the condemna-
alone; that is, upon the request of
owners of cattle for such testing of
their herds. If cattle are to be con-
demned or to be regarded as suspic-
ious animals only after they show
signs of the disease, it is a question
as to the propriety or equity of the
are actually diseased. This proposit-
ion we respectfully submit to the con-
sideration of the next general court,
trusting that the board of cattle COM
missioners will in the meantime con-
slider the same question and offer
recommendations thereto in their an
nual report.
w e believe that the legislature
should at once deal with the matter
of indiscriminate tuberculin tests.
We recommend that all. testing of cat
tie with tuberculin, when compensa-
ton he limited to the cattle commits
sioners or their authorized agents,
The board of cattle commissioners
has already expended more than $lo0-
900 of the total appropriation of $780,
they are compelled to kill all reacting
animals and allow full compensation
| for the diseased cattle the remainder
of the appropriation will soon be eX-
hausted. There will then be no money
| for the prosecution of the regular
work of the commissioners by slaugh-
ter of those animals reported by local
inspectors as suspicious cases, and
which are really the most dangerous
animals to the health and comfort of
the general public. The commission
ers are not allowed to exceed their APP
preparation, hence all work must stop
when the money gives out.
The expert found as follows:
Grafton, May 5th, 1897.
To the honorable members of the Mas
sachusetts legislature appointed to
examine certain cows of Lowell and
vicinity, which had been subjected
to the tuberculin test, and to en-
gage experts to conduct such exam
ination, as to the reliability of the
test:
Gentlemen-In accordance with your
request | was present and took part
in the examination of $50 mich cows,
129 of which 1T was claimed were tub
erculous by the tuberculin test. Said
examination having taken place on
April 10, IA, Is and 21, and again on
May 4, of 20 COWS selected from those
previously examined, and beg herewith
to submit to your honorable consid-
Grafton the accompanying report.
The study of the results of our eX-
animation forces the following con-
clusion:
First-That if the position of the eX-
treme psychologists and that of the
Massachusetts law upon the subject
be scientifically reliable and founded
on undisputable fact that every COW
or bovine in which one solitary tub
ercule is found on the most exact OBJ
servation at slaughter is sufficient to
render such carcass as unfit for hui
man meat and unsaleable for human
food, and that in life such COW is
dangerous as a milk producer to those
who should consume her milk, then I
say that the tuberculin test is fail
ure and deceptive and as dangerous
a snare as the disease is claimed to
be; for we have seen that it let seven
''vile sinners" escape.
In this connection it is an undisput.
able fact that if bovine tuberculosis is
as dangerous to cattle and man US
claimed by some, and endorsed by the
Massachusetts law, both species would
have long since persisted from the face
of the earth. According to that benz
ficent and infallible principle the sur
vivel of the fittest and the gradual de
struction of the unfit.
A very serious weakness in the tn
| barculin tact &c tbot ~ IN, mr. xuox, ill