The Globe-republican., 1900-03-22
Death Of Human beings.

the State Board of Health of the practice
of SHINING cattle that die of disease and
selling the hides-a practice that long
has prevailed in certain sections of Kan
sas. The board discussed this subject at
its late meeting and instructed its bacter-
eologist, DR.. Paul Fischer, who also is a
veterinarian of the State Agricultural col
ege, to Investigate the complaint and
make a report.
DIR. Fischer, March and, filed his report
with DIR Swan, secretary of the board.
1t is as follows:
DIR. FIsCHER's STATEMENT.
The practice of skinning cattle that die
of disease and selling their hides often
enables the Unfortunate owner to apprecI-
ably reduce loss that in either case may
be great one. Frequently objection
vwhateTer can be raised against this prac-
zice.
However, when infectious diseases have
been the cause of such deaths, the ques-
tion assumes different aspect. Many
infectious diseases are dangerous alike to
man and beasts and it requires very little
knowledge to show the risk attending the
skinning an animal that died of disease
which is transnlissable to man. Slight
wounds or abrasions which may be con-
sidered as always present the hands
of the operator afford abundant opportu-
nifty for direct infection by the disease
germs Accidental injuries during the
operation of removing the hide may also
occur and are OF equal importance.
MAY RESULT IN DEATH
The resplt of such an infection may be
a serious illness or even death, hence
anything but pleasant. At a recent
meeting of the State Board of Health the
question of the danger from infection by
anthrax, blackleg and malignant oedema,
daring the operation of skinning animals
that died of any of these diseases. was
under discussion. The similarity of
these diseases, the OCCURRENCE of two of
them in human beings we'll in
animals, the occurauce of blacl<leg in
animals only, and the fact that the di-
sease may easily be cunfounded with or
mistaken for one of the other diseases,
and vice versa, made it seem desirable that
q short sketch be written, showing the
need of more general Information lead
ing to a better understanding of the
mature of these diseases and the dangers
attending the indiscriminate skinning of
Ru1mals dead from disease and of trans
porting their hides and exposing them
for sale.
1t is not the purpose of this article TO
detail the symptoms of each of these dis
eases and thus enable any one concerned
60 make reliable differential diagnosis.
As L will show presently, this would be a
needless undertaking for our present pur-
pose.
SHOULD BE CONSIDERED CRIMINAL.
What 1 wish to show is that it is wrong
and ought TO be considered criminal for Il
farmer or stockman to skin any animal
chat died of an infectious disease of any
kind whatever and then offer the hide fol
sale. Such a proceeding should not be
allowed except under the supervision OF
the most rigid sanitary police contral.
Anthrax, blackle@ and malignant
oedema are diseases all three of which
occur among the farm animals Especially
Scattle) of Kansas. They resemble eacI
other strikingiy. Anthrax aud malig-
nant oedema occur in practically all do
mesticated animals and man, and are
often fatal. Blacl1leg occurs particularly
in cattle; man has never been known Il
be injured by handling the hides car
casses of cattle that died from this dis
ease. Even the consumption of the mea
as food can not be considered as injuri
Gus
Although malignant oedema is NOR
widely spread disease, it causes fewe
deaths by far than either blacSleg or an
thrax. Of the latter two diseases til
first named causes by far the create
number Of losses among cattle in Kansas
DISEASES SIMILAR.
Although it is, for all practical purpos
es, impossible for the average farmer o
stockman to distinguish between black
leg, anthrax and malignant oedema. tn
chances are that as a rule he has to des
with blaekIeg, disease on-communiea
bIe to man, and hence out of the questio
when body danger TO human beings
considered There is however, always
fEa - in
other than blacl<leg. especially if it o.
curs as an isolated case, but def1niI
diagnosis could not be made without th
aid of a very careful meteorological e,
animation, as a basis. As far as tn