Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-05-10
The Bovine Tuberculosis Issue.

The Herald and News Of Randolph says
that Gov. e. c. Smith of St. Adams. c.
j. Bel of Walden and j. X. Curtis of
Georgia, members of the State Board of
Agriculture and cattle commissioners.
were In that town last week to inspect
the cattle at the Green Mountain Stock
Farm; but owing to the imperfections of
the law it is evident that the commission
ers were unable to carry out the plain in
tent of that measure. The Herald and
News states the situation as follows:
| 1t is the desire of the commissioners
to proc ed with the testing of the herd
by the tuberculln method and the CON
demnauon of such as may appear to be
affected. The owners are reluctant to
permit this. believing that the tuberculin
test is not an efficient one and that some
of the very valuable and highly-bred Jer-
seys might fail victims to It's errors, for
which the State. under existing law, does
not provide sufficient compensation.
This experience OF the commissioners
serves to emphasize one very radical de-
feet in the law passed in 1894 which add
ed the duties or cattle commissioners to
those already held by members of the
State Board of Agriculture, Section one
of that law provides that when bovine
tuberculosis or any contagious disease ex-
lists in the State among cattle or other
domestic animals the board of agriculture
may quarantine all infected animals or
such as they suppose have been exposed
to the contagion; may prohibit any ami
NAL from passing on or over any OF tho
highways near the place OF quarantine;
may enter upon the premises where there
are animals suspected to have bovine tu-
herculosis or any contagious disease may
employ such expert help and means as
they deem necessary to a thorough inves-
legation of such diseases; may make all
investie atoms and regulations they deem
necessary for the detection. prevention,
treatment, cure, and eXtripation of such
disease; but shall not apply the tubercuin
test without the consent of the owner of
the cattle"
Wide latitude is given the commission
ers. however. under the same section Of
the law which says that they may forbid
the sale or removal from the premises of
any dairy product from cows that are be-
lieved to have bovine tuberculosis" and
or refuse to comply with any order or reg
uation OF such board shall be lined not
more than 500, or be imprisoned not more
than two years"
Section two of the same act provides
that If any person shall sell or offer 10
sell any cattle or other domestic animal
known to him to be infected with bovine
tuberculosis or any contagious disease, or
or shall sell or offer to sell any part or
parts of such cattle he shall be fined or
imprisoned as above stated.
If therefore the Board of Agriculture
have sufficient knowledge to justify the
assertion thai milk OF tuberculous herds
is being sold" in any town. or that "tu-
hcrculous animals are being slaughtered
Tor beef" they would seem to have all
the authority TO act in the premises, the
law making their belief sufficient basis
OF action.
1t is to be noted, however, that even
with prompt action by the authorities in
cases of this kind known the public would
still remain unprotected against products
OF herds which might be afflicted with the
disease without the knowledge of the com
missioners. II the tuberculin test is not
infallible, il has certainly proved to be so
certain as to be practically so, its use hav-
ing stamped out the disease where it has
been thoroughly tried.