The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-03-08
[ooNcLUpEp TRoN PAeE ]

doubt that she meat Of cattle that have
died in tuberculosis is certainly a hab
itat for tubercle, and also that q large
quantity Of milk sold in large cities,
and elsewhere, also contained the
baciIli in large quantities. The amount
Of disease propAgated in this manner,
it is impossible 80 ascertain, but it is
generally believed by the medical pro-
Iession to day that tuberculosis can
undoubtedly be contracted by consum
ing these articles of food, especially in
On knocked condition.
Thoroughly cooked bsef, or boiled
milk is probably devoid Of the cause OF
danger.
OF course, everyone who eats poorly
cooked beef, or, unboiled milk which
In known TO be, tuberculous, is not go
ing to fall . victim to the disease, but
anyone, especially one Witha weakened,
debiIitated constitution would fare bet
ter on food which did not contain
tubercle bacilli.
Now the question az 20 how TO pre-
vent the spread Of tuberculosis in cat
lie, and so keep tuberculoug meat and
milk from being marketed for human
food has engaged the attention Of
health Chcers and all those who have
the welfare, and health of the general
public az heart, for q long time, and
the legislatures Of several States have
enacted laws with a view to extermi-
mating the disease, and preventing the
sale of meat, or, milk, which is known
TO be tuberculoua.
A State veterinary surgeon who is
competent to do such work attends to
exterminatipg the disease, and q pub
lie health officer, who must also be a
bacteriologist, examines the meat, and
milk, and prevents the sale of that
which is in his opinion unfit for food.
In those States that have q State
Veterinarian, anyone having suspicious
eases among his cattle or anyone who
knows of such cattle, reports them 20
him, and he makes an examination. IL
he finds the cattle are tuberculous he
OrderP the animals destroyed, and the
State (sometimes) pays the owner .
sum Of money more or less, generally
less) than the value of the animals Rs
reported by the wner
Now, to diagnose a case Of tubarcu
losis, especially if il be- an incipient
ease, is not 90 easy as many may
imagine. even though the expert who
attempts to do it has ''tubercuIin" TO
assist him. a simple physical exam
nation, that is, such a IA as can be
made with the aid of the special senses
Of sight, touch and hearing alone, is
very unsatisfactory.
Cattle may be fat, and appear in
good condition, and yet be victims of
the disease.
Or, there may present no other gymp-
tom than an infamed udder, or a dis
Oased gland, bone, or joint.
Then again all the 81 mptoms Of con
g%titutioneI disease may be present, az
for instance, cough, lsbored breathing,
poor appetite, decreased supply of milk,
staring, harsh coat, with general loss
Of condition and probably dyseutery,
and diarrl oe4. Fever IS often present..
Now although the animal may exhibit
all these symptoms, and although q
competent veterinarian would be salts
aed with these o. symphonic, and those
he would hnd on q phy Sical examine
ton, yet the owner, who knows his
loss will be great, wishes quite Datur
ally, for some more convincing evi
dence. The animal is then tested with
''tuberculin."
In 1890 DIR Koch, of Germany, an
nounced to the world that he had dis
covered g substance which would aid
much in diagnosing tuberculosis (con-
BumptioBl in she human subject, and
also Would cure lupus, itself a tubeTcu
lous disease. He did not claim it aB an
absolute cure for tuberculosis, although
he had received the credit, or, rather
discredit of making such . statement.
He did, however, discover an agent
which proved 20 be of much value In
diagnosing bovine tuberculosis, sven
though the LESSONS Were small and quite
recent. But sill il 10 not infalliblO.
It is not q remedy 10 be injected an
der the skin by every tyro, but should
be used by scientific men, and its after
effects carefully watched In an ideal
Oase Of tuberculosis with the tsmpera.
ture about normal, the temperature
Will rise in from 8 20 Is hours several
degrees, and then in from 4 70 6 hours
will drop to below normal
In q perfectly healthy animal no 10
action whatever should take plaza.
Eminent Investigators have found