The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-13
Tuberculosis in Cattl0.
BY F. HARVEY, IN. D., D. V. S. x,

Then again all the symptoms of con
stitutionol disease may be present, as
for instance. cough, lab0red breathing
moor appetite, decreased supply of milk,
staring. harsh coat, with general loss OF
condition and probably dysentery, and
diarrhoea. Fever is often present. Now
although the animal may exhibit all
these systOms, and although Il compo-
tent Veterinarian would be satisfied
with these symptoms, and those he
would find on a physical examination. yet
the owner who knows his loss will be
great, wishes quite naturally, for some
more convincing evidence. The animal
IL then tested with '"Tuberculin."
In 1890 DIR. Koch, of Germany, an
nounced to the world that he had dis
covered a substance which would aid
much i'll diagnosing tuberculosis (con-
SUMPTION in the human subject. and also
would cure lupus, itself Il tuberculous
disease. He did not claim it as an alb
solute cure for tuberculosis, although
he has received the credit, or, rather ris-
credit of making such Il statement. He
did, however, discover an agent which
proved to be of much value i'm dag
noSing bovine tuberculosis, even though
the LESSONS We're small and quite recent
But still it is not infallible.
1t is not a remedy to be injected UNI
der the skin by every tryO, but should
be used by scientific men, and its after
effects carefully watched, i'll an ideal
case Of tuberculosis with the tempera-
ture about normal, the temperature will
rise in from 8 to 10 hours several de-
grees, and then in from 4 to & hours
will drop to below normal.
In a perfectly healthy animal no reac-
ton whatever should take place
Eminent investigators have found
though, that in perfectly healthy ami
mails, Tor at least such as showed no
sign of tuberculous, or other disease,
on post-mortem examination, shortly af-
teri, a well marked reaction took place,
and then again animals which were con-
demned as tuberculous after physical
eXamina ton, and were found SO at post
norton examination, were not affected IN
any way by the ''Tuberculin" test.
Altogether l believe Tuberculin to be
n very useful test in conjunction with
physical examination, but | do not be-
leye it to be infallible, and in my mind
it is quite a question whether anyones
cow should be condemned as "tubercu-
AUS OIl IDc uBtICu1lu 1SSl dlOLb. ~
thorough physical examination of the
lungs and other parts should be made
first, and that by q thoroughly com
petent man, and then the ''Tuberculin"
test applied and it's value weighed with
out prejudice.
In conclusion, in making an estimate
as to the number of TubercuIous cattle
in this State. | should be inclined to
be conservative.
am not inclined to believe that al
most all the herds in the State are tr-
berculous, on the other hand l believe
that what there is of it should be
stamped out, as a protection to the pub
lie, and at the same time n protection to
the owners of such stock | do not be-
ieye that more than six or seven per
cent of all the cattle of this State are
tuberculous, and / believe that to be
rather an extravagant estimate 1t
may, however be true that certain herds
may contain twenty or thirty per cent
Of tuberculOus cattle.
| make this remarks generally not
specifically.