The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-06

| statement points Dut tl1at the Nalue OF
such animals in Pennsylvania is about
$3.50 OOO. 900 and estimates that upon this
| value a tax Of $G.vJ0.000 u year Is now
| placed through the ravages of diseases
| which ought to he prevented
| The state Live Stock Sanitary board
1t then notes is charged with the re.
sronsibility of keeping these diseases
IN check Il has been IN existence four
years, costing the atatc $23o0O In that
| time, and great progress Is alleged to
! have been made, to W.T. "Tnvestiga.
/ tiuns and discoveries have been made
| iu relation to the mode of transmits
sion of anthrax by infected hides
worked upon in tannories: a great
many points uf practical value aud
application In respect to tuberculosis
have been made clear as, Cor example,
the repression of tuberculosis Of cattle
10y sanitation. the influence of stabling
conditions on the spread of tubercu-
losis, the conditions under which ttber-
Gle baclli enter milk OF tubercular
cows. the destruction OF tubercle bacil-
Ii in milk by heat. the identity Of hu.
man and bovine tuberculosis and their
comparative virulence for animals OF
different species. Tile value of several
dsinfectants for destroying the germs
Of various diseases has been deter
mined \ new and exceedingly valua
bic, treatment for milk fever of cows
has been tested improved and made
available for general use. Abortion OF
cattle has been investigated and a
form of treatment has been formu-
lated and developed that has COM
plctcly cradicated this disease from
many herds. a cause of the hitherto
mysterious and destructive disease of
horses known as cerebro- spinal -menin-
gifts has been discovered and this i'm
portant source of disease can now be
guarded against. A new and rapid
method of diagnosing rabies has been
developed. A disease of cows, entirely
new in this country. caused by a
fungus growing in the lungs, has been
discovered and described. Many other
diseases and diseased conditions have
received careful and fruitful study.
Much information Of direct. practical
applicat alton has been made serviceable
I'm addition to the various investl-
cations that have been conducted, a.
great many special problems have been
studies that have been referred by
farmers and veterinarians throughout
the state. For example. animals often
die of diseases that cannot be dag
nosed on the spot. In such cases a
specimen may oc sent to the labora-
tory for investigation and usually the
nature of the disease can thus be
made clear. In this way, a great many
outbreaks of dangerous diseases are
recognized and checked before they
have had an opportunity to become
widespread. The laboratory of the
State Live Stock Sanitary board is
the only laboratory in the state that
is equipped and manned for this work.
In addition to the large amount of re-
atory has produced and has furnished
for use in the state for the suppress
sion of disease free of cost tuberculin.
mallain and anthrax vaccine to the
value Of about $4,000 each year, or
more than enough to pay its way.
Beside this, it has paid for itself
hundredfold in the discoveries made
and knowledge impaired. If $4,000 per
year is devoted to Investigations con-
ccrning the diseases of animals the
cost will be but one thousandth of the
yearly losses from the diseases that
ought to be prevented. That is. the
Investigations would cost One-tenth OF
one per cent. of the present losses.
These losses from diseases that should
be prevented cannot be avoided until
there is more knowledge concerning
their causes, and such knowledge can
be obtained only by investigations"
This certainly makes out Il case.