Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-02-25
OPPOSE INSPECTION
DAlRYMEN CONSIDER lNsPEc
TON OF DAIRY HERDS UNI
NECESSARY.
Much Interest being taken at Present
in Proposed Visit Of State veterina.
rian to Inspect Dairy Herds of OF
tumwa-A. L. Wilson Prepares Paper

Great interest is being manifested
in the matter of having the state vet
erinarian visit Ottumwa and make a
specific test of all the COWS in the va
rious dairy herds which furnish the
milk used in the city. A number of
articles, some favoring, others oppos-
ready appeared in the columns Of the
Courier. A. L. Wilson, who is engag-
ed in the dairy business and who re-
sides about two and one-half miles
west Of the city, has prepared let
ter upon the question which follows
closely the same line of thought pre-
sented in another letter previously
published. AS the question is at the
present time one of vital interest this
letter is also published in full:
Editor Courier An article appear
ed in the Courier a few days ago en-
titled "a Menace to HEALTH" in which
it was stated that the public health
was more endangered by the use of
milk from tuberculosis animals than
from adulterated milk. The article al
so advocated the inspection of the dali
ry COWS of the county and the state,
grave fears were expressed of the dan
ger of spread Of tuberculosis
ut is taken for granted that the an
imals are afflicted with the disease,
though it cannot be known but by a
diagnostic test.
THE writer remembers an instance
in which several strong healthy and
vigorous looking animals were subject
ed to the test. condemned and killed. 1t
is conceded now that these germs of
disease are present everywhere and
are carried into the system by the air
We breathe and the food We eat and
a healthy organization is able to resist
and repel the attacks of the microbes.
Were such plan of inspecting
each individual animal probable or adj
visable there would still be greater OBJ
jectionable features. Such a plan
would necessitate the inspection Of all
animals and of all the products of
cheese factories and creameries be-
fore they should be allowed on the
market. To be more consistent and
practical, we might demand that the
cereal and all other food products,
come under the same inspection.
Should we abstain from the use Of
|
ourselves to strictly vegetarian diet
we would still be in danger. The veg
etables from our gardens we are told
take the germs of disease from the
soil and they are carried by digestion
into and through the system. Now
is not fact that the tubercle
germ may be deposited in the milk
after, as well as before it leaves the
COW? Now sanitary conditions are as
great source of danger as any other.
The consumption germ has its or
| igin and is propogated best In the
poorly ventilated rooms of our north
ern homes.
pure air is as essential to the
health of the people as pure milk and
yet many disregard it.
Home cleanliness and other SAM
tary measures are the surest remedies
and perhaps the strongest preventa
! tives against disease.
Science furnishes no positive proof
that tuberculosis is transmissable
from the animal to the human except
4 in very rare or aggravated cases
neither does it offer sure nor spe
cific remedy for the disease for con
sumptives are best cured by the oper
air treatment.
Exercise by the individual in the
open air and the sunshine seems tc
discourage the microbes. Let US OBJ
serve and practice more rigidly few
of the simple natural laws Of health
tand not try to lay the blame where Il
does not belong.
Eve have had the microbe with us
ever since time began and we have
!, discovered that we cannot get along
without him. He seems to have beer
part in the great plan of creation
Isn't it about time that the human
mind take short rest from theoriz
ing"
nEATL nE cLII n