The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-02
INFECTED HERDS.
tuberculosis Is Discovered in
Shawnee County Cattle.
Insane Asylum Herd Is Under
the Ban.
PACKERS SUSPICIOUS.
Buying Subject to Examination
After Slaughter.
Food Inspector Farnsworth Do.
ing Active Work.
'ACKERS SUSPICIOUS.

tuberculosis has been found to exist
in several herds of cattle in Shawnee
county. City Food Inspector Farms
worth has for some time been making
investigations of conditions which have
led up to the .'blacklisting'' of certain
herds by the Charles Wolff packing
house and other buyers
Hereafter the Wolff Packing company
will buy no cattle from the herd of cat
tie kept at the State Insane asylum.
except on the condition that the animal
is found, after killing, to be free from
tuberculosis It is claimed that tuber-
culosis has existed in the asylum herd
of cattle for a number of years.
Il this is true, it seems TO have been
gross neglect on the part of the man
agement of the institution that the milk
from this herd should have been used
at the hospital tables.
Food Inspector Farnsworth has also
condemned a herd Of cattle near Dover,
and a smaller herd near Topeka He
has served notice on the owners that
they must keep these animals away
from Topeka, and not attempt to sell
any milk from them in the city.
L have no authority, under the law,
to order cattle infected with tuberculo-
sis killed." said Mr.. Farnsworth today.
All 1 can do is to keep close track of
them, and prevent their being sold for
slaughter. or dairy purposes, in this
city.
L first got track of these infected
cattle which are now at Dover when
they were purchased here in Topeka
some time ago by one of the horse and
cattle buyers on Quincy street They.
were fine looking animals, full blooded
shorthorns, I think, and there were
three in the bunch The man who sold
them violated no law because he told
the purchasers that they were affected
with tuberculosis. One of the people
interested in the purchase was a Veteri-
nary and he thought he could cure
them. 1 inspected the cattle, and also
called in DR.. De Wolf, the United
States government expert employed as
government inspector at Wolff s pack
ing house. DR.. DeWolf also declared
the cattle to have tuberculosis I in
sisted that the cattle be taken out of
town, and they were sold to farmer
who took them out to Dover. The
Wolff packing house is of course posted
in this matter, and has instructed none
of its buyers to take cattle from this
herd 1t is my opinion that tubereu-
losis can not be cured, and that any
body who allows case of the disease
TO get into his herd is doing himself
4 also found three calves affected
with tuberculosis a few days ago, and
condemned them.
The Wolff Packing company has not
cattle. as I have heard reported, but it
sinsply specifies certain herds from
from which no cattle will be bought
1t is often impossible to determine
certainly whether an animal has tuber-
culosis until after it is killed, so the
Wolff Packing company buys suspected
animals only on the condition that they
shall prove to be free from the dis
ease. DR.. DeWolf. the government in
spector refuses to allow any diseased
meat to be sold
Under such rules is the only way the
firm will buy cattle from the asylum
herd. That herd has been affected with
tuberculosis for a good many years,
and cattle buyers all know it"
tuberculosis is a sort of bovine con-
sumption It appears to be about as
incura BILE with cattle as it is with hu-
man beings. Usually it is possible to
tell before an animal is killed wheth
er or not it has the disease. The noise
of its harsh breathing can be detected
by placing ones ear against the side
of the animal When an animal affect
ed with the disease is healthy, the
lungs are about the size of a bushel
basket. 1t is stated that when tuber-
culosis has taken good hold. they are
taken out of the animal as large as a
barrel or even larger.
City Food Inspector Farnsworth says
that the state laws are lame on the
control of tuberculosis. He says that
all he has the authority to do IS to
keep the cattle from being slaughtered
and sold for beef in the city of Topeka,
and prevent their milk being put on
the local markets.
mo one wants to drink milk given by
a COW which has the consumption,
says Mr.. Farnsworth. nor do we want
to eat meat from a consumptive steer.
will have to know where milk is COM
ing from before I allow it to be sold
and for that reason I am anxious that
the city council should pass the new
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