The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-07-10


a man capable of trick like that, would
believe in it or in anything else. This is
the kind of people We are asked to believe
against the tlberculin test, demonstrated
scientific fact, accepted by the most ad-
vanced thinkers as the best means of
diagnosis now at our command. What
does Secretary McKeen wish to substitute
for the test? A physical examination
the most unreliable means of attempting
diagnosis of tubercular disease ever foisted
upon an unsuspecting public and one
which no man may he think himself ever
SO expert, has any right to depend upon
unless perhaps in very advanced cases
where diagnosis could be easily made by
the merest tyro. Very few diseased ami
mails could be found, no matter how much
disease existed, if we were compelled to
rely wholly upon a physical diagnosis.
The State College at Orono has about ten
tuberculous animals, known to be so by
having been tested, and I should like to
see some exponent of physical diagnosis
try to select the diseased ones from among
thirty others which are healthy, by ply
steal diagnosis Of all the nonsense
dragged into this subject physical dag
osis is the worst and capable of doing the
most harm.
Secretary McKeen quotes Prof. Bang
of Denmark and gives the public the in
ference that he is opposed to the test.
What Prof Bang says in his most recent
work is, latter an experience extending
over 30, 900 cases 1 am of the opinion that
tuberculin is not injurious to healthy an
imals and cannot injure tuberculous sani-
mails except to cause the disease to adj
vance more rapidly and this only in ex-
ceptional cases. - His final conclusion is
that 1--WE have now found that in. tubercu-
lin we possess if not an absolutely infalli-
BILE, still an excellent means for recognize
ing tuberculosis and that it's application
is not attended with any particular dan
ger and that where tuberculin has been
employed upon large scale for years, the
demand from the farmers for it's use is
increasing" There is no lack of evidence
in favor of the tuberculin test but | Sc
lected few of the best known scientists
in the country and sent them the follow
ing letter requesting an immediate re-
ply:
Ellsworth, June &C. 1897.
Dear Sir: Will you give me your opin
ion Of the tuberculin test, as applied to
cattle?
2. is it ever harmful?
3. Is it ever failure if properly ap-
piled?
4. Is it not our best known means of
diagnosis?S
Dr. d. E. Salmon, Chief of Bureau
Animal Industry says:
Referring to your letter I consider the
tuberculin test as the best known means
of diagnosing tuberculosis in cattle. Mis-.
takes are occasionally made with it, when
it appears to have been properly applied
but they are not numerous. 1t seldom,
If ever, produces injurious effects.
DR.. Nicholas Sem, Professor in Rush
Medical College and one of the foremost
patholosigists in the world says, answer
ing questions:
1. Positive diagnostic value.
2. No, not if properly used.
3. No
4. Yes.
Prof. Theobald Smith, Professor of
Comparative Pathology in Harvard Uni
versity:
1. Tuberculin is not harmful except
perhaps during pregnancy and in rare
cases.
2. Tuberculin is failure in very few
cases.
8. Tuberculin is the best means for the
recognition of infected animals
DR.. Austin Peters, Chairman Massa-
chusetts Cattle Commission says
1. [ think the tuberculin test the most
valuable aid to the diagnosis of bovine
tuberculosis we have.
g. AS a rule do not think it harmful
but think it ought not to be applied to
cases in advanced pregnancy or in heat.
3. I do not consider 1t infallible one or
two per cent fail.
4. [ consider tuberculin our best present
means of dag nosis.
Prof. E. A. De Schwenitz of Columbia
University says:
]. If tuberculin is properly prepared
and is good it is never injurious to the
animal
2. If properly applied, failures are very
rare.
g. 1t is undoubtedly the best means of
diagnosis known.
Dr.. J. Mitchell Prudden of the College
of Physicians and Surgeons New York:
l. 1t is of the utmost value without
any question he best and most accurate
means of diagnosis known.
2. Ii properly applied is entirely harm
less.
g. AS to its exactness there is very
small percentage of cases in which doubt
may still exist after the application of tu-
berculin but these cases are relatively
few and are lessening as experience in
creases.
Prof. Roscoe R. Bell of the American
Veterinary College and editor American
Veterinary Review says:
/. Tuberculin is a remarkably accu-
rate, safe and harmless diagnosis for bo-
vine tuberculosis.
2. Never, if properly applied is it
failure.
3 Without doubt it is our best and only
sure means of diagnosis.
Prof. H. A. Hare jefferson Medical
College says.
While have no personal knowledge of
tuberculin in bovine tuberculosis l am