New-York tribune., 1901-07-27

animal that is free from the disease no effect
is produced. When the test shows the presence
Of tuberculosis the owner has the privilege of
returning the diseased animal to the country
from which it brought. Failing TO do this.
the animal is killed by authority OF the Agri-
cultural Department and the owner is partly
indemnified
The public is further protected from the dan
gers of bovine tuberculosis by the Agricultural
Department through careful system OF inspec-
ton maintained at all beef slaughterng estab-
lishments which do an interstate or export bust
ness. AT each OF these establishments the de-
partment keeps constantly on guard force of
experts whose duty 1t is closely to examine
every carcass to that tuberculous meat
finds its way into the markets. The presence OF
TIE disease very easily is determined by the
trained eyes of these experts The most COM
mon sign manifests itself in the form Of LESSONS
All carcasses exhibiting any suspicious signs are
Immediately condemned and destroyed Scores
Of carcasses have been condemned in a day in
various packing establishments throughout the
country. In all such cases the entire loss falls
upon the packers.
NEED FOR STATE SUPERVISION.
1t is pointed out by officials OF the Bureau OF
Animal Industry that the work OF detecting the
disease in animals designed for market, and the
transmission of bovine tuberculosis to human
beings. would be greatly advanced II the States
could be induced TO adopt a more thorough and
uniform system Of espionage. In the very nat
Of things the Federal Government cannot
do Il all. While most Os the States have legis-
lated in general way the subject, still the
laws in many are loosely enforced. and in
some States. mainly in the South. where the
disease is most liable be engendered there
,,o, Ioa, d.,
to have the most rigid law. and appears
TO enforce it most carefully. Reports from that
State 70 the Agricultural Department show that
in the last four years cattle infected with tuber
culosis have been condemned to the value of
S1l3.OOO. or nearly $4,000 year. There are
detailed reports this phase Of the subject
from no other State. 1t is known however. that
in essential particular California maintains
the safest and most practical system of safe
guards against the disease. In that State there
are county inspectors whose duty II Is TO pass
upon the healthfulneSs Of every animal offered
for sale
The States and Territories which have no laws
relating TO bovine tuberculosis Arkansas.
Florida. Georgia, Idaho Louisiana, Mississippi.
Oklahoma and South Carolina. All the other
either specifically with the subject. or that in
clude the disease with other animal contagious
for whose prevention provision Is made. but
sometimes is poorly enforced.
VIEWS OF BUREAU OFFICIALS.
Both Secretary Wilson and Dr. D. f. Salmon.
chief Of the Bureau of Animal Industry. out
Of the city at present, and therefore no express
sion on Professor Koch's contention could be OBJ
tained but DR. Melville DR.. Salmons chief as
sstant and various other scientists and experts
OF the bureau, expressed positive views on the
subject a Tribune representative. Dr. Mel
Vile said:
/ can't believe Professor Koch has taken the
position attributed to him. Koch is too great
l.1ng nln ict 20 hold GaIRh via In
reau of Animal Industry there Is not the least
doubt that bovine tuberculosis is transmissible
TO human beings. The germ is transmitted in
the milk and meat of diseased animals. Nothing
is better established than this in the entire do
main Of meteorological science. We have made
too many experiments in this bureau to have any
doubt at all, and not even high authority
as Professor Koch shake our position un-
less, Of course, some discovery should be made
that would cause complete revision OF the
whole germ theory.