The Grit-advocate., 1903-06-05
PRACTICAL VALUE OF TU3ER-
CULlN,

CUllN.
While the use of tuberculin as a
diagnostic of tuberculosis Of cattle
has been. undoubtedly abused in many
instances where torcible entry was
made into private stables by unpro-
fessional. uneducated employees OF
state officials, the fact remains that it
is, properly used. q reliable and valu-
able agent in detecting the presence
of the disease. There need be nothing
hidden in the use of tuberculin. Any
intelligent farmer may use it success
fully himself with little instruction.
we have given such instruction many
times and results following the first
use OF the agent have been more than
successful. This being the case we
have always advised that tuberculin
should be employed when there is rea-
sonable suspicion in the mind of an
owner that one of his cattle may be
afflicted with tuberculosis and more
especially when the udder is the seat
of the trouble.
we md that it is common thing
for mich cow to show the following
symptoms: The udder becomes caked
tgargetty) now and then and RECEIVERS
without treatment. There is no good
reason for the attack. The COW suf-
fers no chill or fever. She eats we'll
and appears healthy. The milk from
the affected teat or quarter is changed .
III quaint! for but few days then be-
coines normal again. tuberculosis is
never suspected. hy the owner, but in
'hese cases we always suspect it and
consider it by far the most danger
GUS form Of the disease so far as users
OF milk are concerned,
Quite recently cattle breeder sent
us the following report of a COW owned
Dy MIN: "A four-yearold COW dropped
her first calf, carried full time, mir
teen months ago. and has not stood to
service yet. She was very poor
m1lker and the calf was taken from
her when three or four months old and
the COW dried off. In short time it
was noticed that one of her rear teats
was larger than normal, as though il
might have been caked a little in dry-
ing her up. 1t has gradually increased
IN size until now that quarter of the
uuuer is about five inches across, hard
and hot. What shall do for it? The
COW seems in first rate general health
win the exception of one eye which
became irritated while on pasture last
summer and seems blind now. She
has pad no grain for several months.
as thought it possible she would be
more apt to breed il reduced in flesh.
An examination shows the mouth of
the womb SO tightly closed that ]
nave been unable to introduce hard
rubber dilator about Y inch in di.
ameter What do you think of the
case"
Inc owner was advised by us that
we suspected tuberculosis and given
iuil instructions as to the making of a
tuoerculln test. He acted upon this
advice, procured the necessary ther.
mometer, hypodermic syringe and
dose of tuberculin and made the test
Oh which the following is a report:
Temperature of COW prior to intec.
tlon OF the tuberculin, a. M, 1922:
l1:So a. M, 1O3; G:15 p m, 1888. In
Jected cubic centimeters of tubercu-
lin under skin of neck at $50 D. m.
same day preliminary temperatures
were taken. Next morning tempera-
lures were again taken with following
results: 6 a. M, 1868; a. m., 1918:
IL noon, 1912; 3 p. m, 1913; 6 D. m.
1918
This Is most interesting case. Cow
reported to be "in first rate general
health" with not the slightest sus.
pic1on of tuberculosis on the part of
the owner was by the above tuberculin
test proved to be very dangerously
tuberculous. Her udder was doubtless
the seat of the disease but glands
throughout the body were also no
doubt involved in the disease. The
COW that has stood next to this COW
in stable for some time was also tested
and showed by her reaction to the
tuberculin that she is to be consid.
cred suspicious and a subsequent test
in a few months may show plainly
that she has contracted the disease
without doubt. There is surely a
Ia