The record-union., 1897-01-29
THE DAIRY BUREAU INSPECTION
BILL.

Senate Bill 1S2 is bill transferring the
ing of diseased cows, and the inspection
of all dairies, creameries and cheese fac
tories to the State Dairy Bureau.
OF course the dairy interest must be
conserved; and the primal objects of the
Dairy Bureau are to be warmly COM
mended. But it is submitted that the
search for diseased nlilk-giving cattle
and the destruction of those which
should be killed in the interest Of the
health and lives Of the people, ought to
be committed to authority other than
that having it's chief interest in the dairy
business
If the regulation of the business of Ii
quor selling, for instance, is necessary.
no one would think of committing it to
bureau Of liquor sellers. But if it is con-
ceded that a State Dairy Bureau is the
proper authority, then it is submitted
that the bill under notice is weak in
that it commits to it the entire business
of inspecting all dairies in the State and
takes the authority away imposed upon
the counties to inspect locally.
The bill provides that the State Bu-
reau shall appoint a general agent and
name assistant agents, who are from
time to time, and at least once year,
totnspect all dairies and creameries and
all animals used for dairy purposes, to
ascertain the sanitary conditions of the
establishments and the health condi-
tion of the animals used.
Right here it Is noted that these agents
are to be familiar with the several
branches of the dairy business, but
though they are to search out diseased
cattle it is not provided that they are
to be skilled in the expert business Of
discovering diseases in cattle; Of noting
and ascertaining the symptoms indicat-
ing the necessity for calling in a veter-
mary surgeon to diagnose the cases and
determine whether the animals should
be destroyed.
For when the agents-and there will
be small army of them Of necessity
believe 1t to be necessary veterinary
surgeon is to be called in. This conces-
sion that there must be in the agent suf-
hcient knowledge of cattle disease symp-
toms, upon which to base the Judgment
of necessity for a veterinary, emphasizes
the weakness of the bill in its failure to
require that these agents shall be ex-
perts and skilled In the discovery of
disease.
It by no means follows that one who
is skilled in the dairy business is there
fore competent to ascertain when an
animal is dangerously afflicted with con-
tagious disease or with ailments that
will contaminate the milk of the animal.
Experience in this county proves that
some of the very best and most skilled
dairymen were wholly ignorant of the
fact that their herds were affected, and
this is. indeed, the rule everywhere. Not
urltil the assistant agent believes vet
erinarian's advice necessary can an ex-
animation of herd proceed, and this,
as we read the bill, is grave error.
SAS IudIlf dS6UIS aIt u bG CRPOAiilSAs
and as many veterinary surgeons en-
ployed as the bureau may deem neces-
sary. When the surgeon finds that dis
eased animal should be destroyed he is
to report to the agent and then the agent
reports to the bureau before the animal
can be slaughtered, and then must await
an order from the bureau before acting
This is absolutely useless red tape and
means slow moving machinery and the
bureau in session daily and hourly. The
compensation for animals designated to
be killed is to be fixed by the agent, and
If the owner is dissatisfied with the
valuation, he may appeal to the bureau
which is to decide what shall be paid for
the creature
There are wise provisions for prevent
ing the spread of cattle diseases, for
ouarantining farms and stock yards.
for sanitation OF dairies and creameries.