Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-06-22
three inches in diameter and consider

I three lffcHeS III uldfucaci duu cOnSiueT
ably thickened.
/ 4. Udder of the cow-Result mega
tive.
Sections of the udder show some evil
ldence of old infiammatory action AM
Injury, traces Of scar tissue being APP
parent
| g. Lungs of children. These may b.
considered together. since in all essen
tials the pathological condition is the
same in each.
No tubercle bacilli were found, nor do
sections show the presence of any It's
sue changes which can be attributed 10
tubercular infection. The gross appear
ance of these lungs and the micro
scopical appearance of prepared sec
tions show them to have been the seat
of extensive croupous pneumonia.
/ have considered the determination
OF the true nature of these cases of 50
much Importance that | have verified
the finding in each specimen by other
methods Of examination and the result
has been the same.
Ny conclusions are:
/. That the children who died, died
Of croupous pneumonia, and not of tu-
bcrculosis
.. That the present Illness Of Luther
Bridges and his son is pneumonia and
not tuberculosis
3. That no tuberculosis was present
in the COW from which came the por-
tons of lung and udder which / have
examined.
Very truly yours,
II ~
126 Free St, Portland"
*The previous history of the COW shows
that her udder had been injured quite Sc
riously upon Il wire fence.
Thus it will he seen that another at
tempt to terrorize the farmers of the
State into subjecting all of their cows,
no matter what their condition might
be, to the tuberculin test al an expense
to them for the test alone OF not less
than Sl5o.o0o, has fallen fat. and that
the efforts of the alarmist are brought
TO naught in the clear light of care
fully prepared facts.
Again it has been shown that tuber-
oulin is not infallible. in fact that it
may not be reliable. and that it is UNI
safe to depend solely upon ii to dag
nose tuberculosis.
IN this case we find j. poor family de-
piived of their only Pow. a perfectly
healthy animal, the much afflicted par
ents distressed by the thought that
they had unwittingly permitted their
children to be poisoned, and the entire
and the State thrown into 4 |
fever of excitement and alarm by this |
one mistake.
1t may, perhaps, be said that it was
ret properly applied. or that the tenn |
ptratures We're not correctly taken, |
but DR.. West is a regular veterinary
Of considerable experience, and is one
Of the executive officers of the Maine |
Medical Associations and the
average farmer may Well ask. If he can
act properly apply 1t, who can?
We trust that the facts which this in
has brought out may be as
'uily circulated as We're the earlier
stories concerning the case.
nd that the minds of all may be set
It rest.
The dairy business of Maine is one of
he most important industries of the
state. large number of people ara
directly dependent upon ii. and it
rings more money into our farm homes
han any other branch of farming;
herefore any effort to bring distrust
lpon the healthfulness of its products
II to subject those who are engaged in
he business to UNNECESSARY expense or
inconvenience should be looked upon as
blow at the welfare and prosperity OF
he State and discountenanced by all OF
Ter citizens.
r. WALKER McKEEN,
secretary Maine Board of Agricul-
ture.
Augusta, June u. 1897.