The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1901-03-28
ssn.,b,. Use of ruberculin.

1t Is to be hoped tnat When q he"
state veterinarian is appointed In Hi
nois he will be a fully graduated prac-
titioner and a man who has at neart
the best interests of the stock
of the country. Owners of dairy and
breeding COWS in this state have been
I'D in arms for a long time past as a
result of the way in which the tuber-
culin crusade has been carried OUT
against tuberculosis. They have seen
their animals tested and condemned
and have received only a small amoun
of the real value of such cattle killed
for the alleged benefit of the people
Of the state at large. They have ar
gued with a good deal of reason mat
if the cattle must be killed appar-
emily healthy, w%ell-doing cows, snow
ing no emaciation and no trouble Oh
the udder, should be condemned ana
killed for the sole reason that they
showed a rise in temperature wnen
tuberculin was injected. They have
rebelled all the more when they fol-
lowed these COWS to the shambies and
found that the alleged evidence oil
tuberculosis was some small spot the
size If a bean or altogether absent 30
far as they could see. They have con-
sidered it unfair TO attribute the rise
in each case to the effect OF the tuper-
culin injected when they have known
that the COW fretted under the test,
was sometimes in heat or neal preg-
nancy when tested or unaccustomed
to stay in a barn without water in hot
weather when grass had been the food
prior to the test and shady places the
resting place OF the victim during hot
days. 1t Is alleged by the state veteri-
marian that during. the past year no
cows have been tested without the
owner having first asked that the cows
be SO treated. We doubt this asser-
ton when We remember that agents oil
the state authorities, accompanied by
police officers, visited ignorant owners
OF cows and asked CD them to sign
papers requesting that their cows be
tested by the state officials! This was
voluntary asking in a vengeance! The
parties have since told the writer that
they were of the opinion that they had
to have the cattle tested and had no
voice in the matter. The Farmers Re
view is not opposed to fair means OF
attempting the eradication of danger
Gus cases of tuberculosis, but 1t is OPP
posed to wholesale destruction OF other
peoples cows for the alleged benent
of the public at large without due re-
endorsement of the owner OF cattle
ordered slaughtered. 1t Is opposed to
such tests being carried out by ignor-
ant, uneducated men who do not give
the apparently healthy cow the benefit
of the doubt when she is in heat, nery-
GUS, pregnant or unaecustomed to
stabling during the test. II is OPP
posed to the condemning to death oil
all cows reacting to the test when
there is no sign of emaciation, no sign
of the udder being involved, no sign
of anything being the matter with the
cow 1t is opposed to the methods oil
coersfon In obtaining the consent OF
owners to having their cattle tested.
We believe that every COW that
shows suspicious symptoms OF tubercu-
losis should be tested. and that such
symptoms should be discovered by
veterinary inspectors. whose duty II
should be to inspect dairy herds under
the supervision of local boards oil
health. We believe that all reactint
COWS should be watched and retested
but not slaughtered at once after re
acting. and proper hygienic measures
should be taken in every herd to iso'
late all cows that have reacted, ant
that such cows should be put out OF tn
milk supply business and be fatteneC
for sale and slaughtered under ex
pert inspection. We are Of the opin'
ion further that the whole business
should be conducted upon a common
sense basis, rather than fanaticall,
and wastefully, and that every pre-
caution should be taken to make eacf
test with tuberculin fair to all con
cerned.