New-York tribune., 1901-07-26

cattle suffering from tuberculosis It is only
since 1898 that any attention has been paid 10
this subject by the legislature. In 1894 the mat
ter was brought prominently TO the attention OF
the legislature by DR.. Baxter T. Smelzer. former
State Senator. and later secretary of the State
Board OF Health. and small appropriations were
made TO compensate the owners of cattle that
might be killed Only one difficulty was found
namely: That sufficiently large appropriations
We're not made to compensate the owners OF
valuable cattle
The state Board of Health in 1898 had herds
examined all over the State. Among those was
the herd OF Ex-Governor Levi p. Norton at
Khinecn. Mr.. Hawley's herd. at Pittsford, was
also examined. The State Board OF Health in
the report OF 1894 says:
Mr.. Hawley requested the examination OF his
herd He wrote:
4 am informed that there have been found
cases OF tuberculosis among the mich cows in
this State. Many OF my herd OF registered Jer-
seys have been during the last summer at the
Worlds Fair. many also at the State Fair at
Syracuse. They have been brought into con-
tact. you will see with many hundreds of
animals from all sections OF the State. Since
the return of my herd to Pittsford Farms, I
have noticed slight traces of incipient tuber-
culosis among several animals. which were
promptly killed. and for the purpose Of having a
thorough and complete examination OF the
herd"
The inspectors report shows that according
TO the tuberculin test some Of the animals of
Mr. Hawley's herd were suffering from tubercu-
losls. Many thousands of cattle were critically
examined by inspectors of the Board OF Health
in that year. 1898. In 1894 the State Board Of
Health had 22OoO cattle examined, and caused
to be slaughtered about eight hundred. COM
mission reported that tuberculosis in cattle had
been found 10 exist wherever examinations
HaO Deen made, and that the eradication Of
tuberculosis would be a great national gain and
could not fail to lessen sensibly the prevalence
OF tuberculosis in human beings. for the rea ton
or the milk supply especially to infant mortal
lty Is insisted upon by all who have made II
the subject Of systematic observation
The tuberculosis committee of the State Board
OF Health of 1899 had as it's members Dr. Dono-
nue. ard owen Cassidy. They had many thou
SANDS of cattle examined and the tuherruli,
test made in many instances The State Roa rd
or Health in its report of 1895 said
The work OF the committee on tuberculosis in
cdtte has continued on the line of Investigation
followed by the tuberculosis commission OF the
preceding years, but the work has been very
f UNITED S1o on account OF the meagre appropriation
OF only $4,000 made for that purpose. A some
what careful calculation shows that to destroy
al the cattle affected with this disease in the
state to-day would involve expenditure of
nearly S1,OOO.000. The legislature however
neglected to make the appropriations and thus
the work Of last year in this direction has al
most ceased The report of the State Board OF
Health for 1898. however. shows that 237
mead OF cattle were examined that were sus-
that $40 were subjected to the tuberculin test
and eighty-seven cattle were condemned and
forty cattle were killed.
There has been much opposition In the legis-
iature of recent years to any further appropri-
atlons for the compensation of the owners of the
animals destroyed, and 1t Will be noted that the
Slo.ODO appropriated this year will only COM
pensate the owners of healthy animals. DR..
Edward Moore, of this city. a veterinary sur
geon. came before a legislative committee in
August 1899 and said
Il predict that you will find that where cattle
tuberculosis is plenty human tuberculosis is so
rare as to bear relation to It"
In a paper read before the Albany County
Medical Society April 19. 1899 DIR. Moore
also expressed the opinion that bovine tuber-
culosfs is not communica BILE to man. He thus
sides with DR.. Koch. DR.. Moore states that he
gained his opinion after twenty years Of obser
walton. He made careful inquiry in regard to
the health of families caring for animals suf-
ferng from tuberculosis, and did not find them
affected with the disease. The attendants on
the cattle hreathed germ laden atmosphere
and made daily of the product Of the cattle,
as food milk, cream, butter and meat but did
not contract tuberculosis DR.. Moore also wrote
to many eminent biologists, veterinarians,
breeders of cattle and the directors of agricu-
tural colleges to learn IL they had any knowl-
edge of a human being contracting tuberculosis
from contact with tuberculin cattle Not sim
gle case brought to his attention. In 1899
DIR. Moore went before legislative committee
and challenged any one to produce a case where
man had contracted the disease from cattle