The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1899-11-18
Dairy Notes.

ObAEy NOtGSs
Reports are current hat more than
the usual number of COWS have been
killed this year by being struck by
lightning. Investigations reveal the
strange fact that a large number or
them were killed while standing by
wire fences. The lightning would
strike the wire and instead of ground
ing would run along the fence its
whole length. and somewhere in Its
course would come near enough to the
COWS to affect them fatally. Had the
lightning grounded as soon as 1t
struck the wire the danger OF striking
the COWS at all would have been small.
1t was evident that the posts in most
cases acted as non-conductOrs or at
least were so inferior to the wires as
q conducting medium that the light
ming hung to the wires. This will be
an easy matter to remedy. A wire
running down the posts every little
way will be a means of conducting
the electricity into the earth.
In a recent issue we took up the
question of the Illinois law regarding
the slaughter of tuberculous cattle.
We cited the law that had been IN ell
feet for a number of years allowing an
appraisement of all animals slaughter
ed. In the appropriation bill of the
last legislature a clause was inserted
that made more specific the OF
slaughtering such animals n the
amounts of money that could be OBJ
ta.:aed from the state for them. 1t
was taken into consideration that
there was a great difference IN the
value of cows slaughtered dependent
on the progress of the disease. One
COW with a single tubercle in her not
larger than a pea would be valuaDle as
a mixer for years. while a co" whose
lungs were in an advanced state OF de-
cay would be practically worthless
Therefore all slaughtered animals are
now divided into SIX grades or classes.
Glass A: All cattle that on slaughter
are found to be free from tuberculosis
These are paid for at full value by the
state provided the valuation does not
exceed SIS. B, c, D, E, and F, indicate
the degrees of progress the disease mas
made in the animals. For e the own
er recovers rs per CEN of the value;
for c, so per cent; for D, So per cen
for z, IS per cent, and for L Is per
cent.
The healthfulness Of oleomargarlne
is a question that is constantly being
considered. The difficulty of properly
answering the question is increased by
the fact that the oleomargarine of to-
day is not necessarily the oleomarsaf-
inc of tomorrow, and the oleomargar-
inc that is turned Out by n factory
is not the same as that turned out by
another. Chemists have now discov-
cred that some oleomargarine contains
p~arafin, to give it firmer composition.
Parafin by itself is indigestible. and II
may also be indigestible when incor-
porated with the fats that compose
oleomargarine, but we are not yet
certain of that point. for the reason
that no M appears to have investisat-
ed what paraf1n will do in such a COM
bination. 1t may be less harmful than
by itself or it may be more harmful.
It may be that the union of paraftin
with fat permits some of it to get
through the tissues with the fat. and
there it may work all kinds of mis-
chief-or it may not. However, peo-
pie do not care to take their chances
on such uncertainties. 1t is manifestly
the duty of the government to ascer-
tain such facts for the people. If par
ATTN is to be sold as butter we should
at least know what effect it will have
when taken into the human system.
We believe that every pound of oleo-
margarine that goes out should have
stamped on the package containing 1t
the ingredients that are used in Its
manufacture. including all preserva-
tives.