The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-02-15

asked to give his opinion upon tubercu-
losis in cattle The following letter con-
tains an answer to the questions pro
pounded:
There are n number OF diseases that
are transmissible from animal to man,
and strange to say. they are almost all
Of Il malignant nature.
Some such diseases are, glanders in the
horse. rabies in the dog, malignant ear
huncie i'll cattle. bovine varlola tco"
poxl ito which we are indebted for vac
tination): and tuberculosis (consumption)
in cattle.
Now. during the last few years, it has
become more generally accepted that tu
berculosis is transmisSible to man from
cattle, consequently much has been writ
ten in Journals, and papers, on the sub
ject. and Il great amount OF interest
manifested by the public, and in several
States Il great deal of good, and posi-
bly, some harm, has been accomplished
10y legislation.
1t will perhaps appear to some, who
have followed the matter. closely, Il re-
markable fact that there is, and has
been. such Il diversity of opinion among
writers, and Investigators on the SUBJECT
Like most questions of the kind it has
fallen the victim to eNekemists.
On the one hand. we read article,
written too by one whose opinion Is
worthy Of respect, that there Is hardly
any tuberculosis III cattle and the same
writer ridicules the idea that the DIS
ease is transmiSsible from cattle to the
human being; on the other hand, anoth-
er writer. whose opinion Is Of as much
weight as that Of the former writer,
tells us that a large proportion Of all
cattle are tuberculous, and that we hui
man beings exist, to a large extent on
a diet of tuhercle bacilli, served 10 us
in milk and poorly cooked beef. Now,
it is probable that each writer IS thor
Oughly sincere i'll his statements, and
they may even have been the result c1
actual observation. but if such 0bserya-
tOr1s had been carried further or III
other fields, each would have mas gnitied
his statements perhaps, and struck
happy medium iii his views. and express
sions on the subject. When | was en-
gagged in the active practice Of Neterin-
airy Medicine / had ample opportunity
OF observing just how such diversity OF
opinion is likely to occur,
| investigated Worcester, and SOmar-
set counties for tuberculosis in cattle
for the State Of Maryland, and although
| made the most careful examination
that | could with the means at my dis
posal, | did not find u single case OF
tuberculosis among the cattle, or al
least not one that | could diagnose as
such But again, l was called to eN-
anime a large herd in Virginia ii few
years ago. and found that the head of
the herd. and a large proportion of the
COWS were tuberculoue. | think there
is no doubt that the disease is much
more prevalent in herds III which there
hrs been much in-and-in breeding. such
breeding weakening the constitution of
the cattle, and rendering them less able
to resist the disease germs.
Poor, "scrnbh' cattle are not as LA
BILE to have the disease asthc more
highly bred ones. because they are
brought up to rough it, and are ex-
posed to the ''hardshirs of life from the
beginning of their existence.
AS to the question Of "heredity,' | do
not believe that calves are born with
tuberculosis. but | do believe that they
inherit Il weakened constitution. and
when born are i'll Il condition to hypo-
nutrition so that they are unable 10 re
sist the inroads upon their systems made
by the tubercle bacilli, and as it is a ca Sc
oI "the survival of the titteSt.' they soon
become victims Of the disease
The most important. and at the same
time. the most difficult question, TO an
sWcr. iH. Is the. disease transmissible
10 the human being from cattle if so,
hy what means!
RacteriologiSts have proved beyond q
doubt that the meat Of cattle that have
died Of tuberculosis is certainly IL hab-
itat for tubercle, and also that a large
quantity of milk sold i'll large cities
and elsewhere. ALSO contained the baci
m, l,,., tl,,,
disease propa gated i'll this manner, it i
impossible to ascertain. but it is gener
ally believed by the medical profession
to-day that tuberculosis can undoubtedl,
be contracted by consuming these arti
cles of food, especially in an uncookot
condition.
Thoroughly cooked beef. or bOile
milk is probably devoid of the cause o
danger.
OF course, everyone who eats pOorl,
cooked beef, or, unbOiled milk which il
known to be tuberculous, is not goln:
10 fall Il victim to the disease, but any
one, especially one with Il weakened
debiltated constitution would fare bet
Ter on food which did not contain tuber
Gle hacilli.
Now the question as to how to preyen
lht spread Of Tuberculosis in cattle
una ~ keep tuberculOuS meat, and mill
from beng marketed for human food ha:
engaged the attention of heath-officer,
ANA all those who have the welfare an.
heaith OF the general public at heart, fo
Il long ,lme, and the legislatures of sey
eral States have enacted laws with +:
view to discriminating the disease. ant
preventing the sale Of meat. or. milk
which Is known to be tuberculous.
Y State veterinary surgeon who i
competent to do such work attends I,
cXterminating the disease, and a publi,
health officer, who must also he =, hac
terlologist, examines the meat. and milk
an" prevents the sale of that which j
in his opinion unfit for food
In those States that have Stat