The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-03-08
TUBERCULOSIS IN CATTLE.
BYF HARvEY. Mp.p.H.a

By HARVEY, u D, ,. s.
Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
There are number OF diseases that
are transmissible from animal to man,
and strange TO say, they are almost all
OF q malignant nature.
Some such diseases are, CHAMBERS in
the horse, rabies in the dog, malignant
carbuncle in cattle, bovine variola
Cow pox) 60 which we are indebted
for vacoinatioD); and tubsI culosis ICON.
sun ption) in cattle.
Now, during the last few years. it
has become more generally accepted
that tuberculosis is transmissible to
man from cattle, consequently much
has been written in journals, and
papers, on the subject, and a great
amount Of interest manifested in the
puolic, had in several States q great
deal of good and possibly some harm,
has been accomplished by legislation.
It will perhaps appear to some, who
have followed the matter closely, re-
markable fact that there is, and has
been, such a diversity of opinion
among writer's, and investigators on
tie subject.
Like most questions of the kind IL
has fallen the victim to extremists.
On the one hand, we read an article,
written too by one whose opinion is
worthy of respe ct, that there is hardly
any tuberculosis in cestle and the same
writer ridicuIes the idea that the dis
ease is transmissible from cattle to the
human being; on the ether hand, an
other writer, whose opinion is of as
much weight as that Of the former
writer, tells US that a large proportion
of all cattle are tuberculosis, and that
we human beings exist, to large ex-
tent on diet of tubercle bacllli, served
to us in milk, and poorly cooked beef.
Now, it is probable that each writer is
thoroughly sincere in his statements,
and they may even have been the re-
suit OF actual observation, but it such
observations had been carried further,
or in other fields, each would have
modified his statements, perhaps, and
struck happy medium in his views,
and expressions on the subject. When
was engaged in the active practice Of
veterinary medicine, I had ample op-
portunity Of observing just how such
diversity of opinion is likely to occur.
Investigated Worcester, and Somer-
set counties for tuberculosis in cattle
for the State of Mary land, and although
I made the most careful examination
that / could, with the means at my
disposal, did not find a single case Of
tubeI eulosis among the cattle, or at
least not one that could diagnose as
such. But again, was called to ex-
anime large herd in Virginia few
years ago, and found that the head Of
the herd, and large proportions OF the
COWS were tuberCulous. I thi1k there
is no doubt that the disease is much
more prevalent in herds in Which there
has been much In and in breeding, such
breeding weakening the constitution Of
the cattle, and rendering thera less able
20 resist the disease germs.
Poor, scrub cattle are not as
liable TO have the disease az the more
highly bred ones, because they are
brought up to trough il, and are ex-
posed to the ''hardships of life" from
the beginning of their existence.
As TO the question of ''heredity," I
do not believe that calves are born
with tuberculosis, but do believe that
they inherit weakened constitution,
and when born are in condition Of
hyponutrition 30 that they are unable
TO resist the inroads upon their systems
made by the tuberCle baciIli, and as it
is q case of ''the survival Of the fittest,
they SOON become victims Of the dis
ease.
The most important, and at thesame
time, the most deficient question. 70
answer. il, Is the disease transmissibIe
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