Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-02-18
Says Danger to Public Health From
Using Adulterated Milk Is Not Half
So Great as Using Milk From Tuber-
culosis Animals.


supply was raised, and it was suggest
ed by DR.. w. B. LaForce, physician to
the board, that about two years ago
an examination conducted by the state
veterinary disclosed the fact that a
number af the COWS of the Ottumwa
diaries had tuberculosis, and that the
same condition might exist at the pres
ent time. He was instructed to COM
municate with the state veterinary
and learn what the cost of such an ex-
animation would be- DR.. LaForce
states that he has not as yet heard
from the state veterinary
The communication from DR.. Miller
is as follows:
Menace to Public Health.
Since it is thought necessary to have
a state institution for the care and Sc
gregation of people suffering from tu-
berculosis would it not be wise to con-
slider other sanitary measures which
will do much towards preventing the
spread of this disease 1t has been
known for many years that cattle and
other food producing animals have tu-
berculosis which resembles in nearly
all of its physical characters the same
disease in the human family.
Disease Is TransmissbIe.
ut is known beyond a doubt that
this disease is transmissible from ami
mails to man and vice versa. That
the source of this disease in the hui
man family is not more frequently
traced to the lower animals is due the
long incubative period So long is
the time elapsing between the recep-
tion of the specific organism into the
system and the full. development of
the disease that in many instances we
fail to recognize it's true source. The
many isolated cases of tuberculosis in
man, that cannot be traced to any hui
man origin is of itself strong evidence
of other sources of infection, especial
ly when it is known that so many are
consuming the dairy products of con-
sumptive animals. 4
Thirty Per Cent Affected.
Many investigations have shown
that from one to thirty-five per cent of
some of the dairy herds of this state
are tuberculous, and the per cent is
sure to increase unless some better
measures are adopted to stamp it out.
In some of the eastern states the per
cent is much higher With such OPP
portunities for infection is it any Won
der this disease continues to decimate
the ranks of the human family?
'This culpable carelessness should
not longer exist in the midst of an in
telligent people, where there is feas-
ible plan to discover and prevent it.
tuberculosis has proven such an
accurate and valuable diagnostic agent
that it is possible to determine when
the disease is present, even in the ear
lier stages, in the domestic animals !;
and at a cost easily within the reach
of our people.
Yes, let us have state sanatoria
and let us also have some measures
coming from animals. If we cannot
have a general inspection of the dairy
COWS of the state it is possible to have
local inspection which will include
the diaries supplying milk to our cities
and towns. Milk is a commercial arti-
Gle and saying nothing of the danger
of infection we have a right to know
that it comes from animals free from
any constitutional disease.
An Economical Value.
Apart from the benefits that may be
derived from the sanitary side of this
proposition, it has an economical value
that is worth considering. 1t is to the
interest of any stock raiser or dairy.
man to discover the presence of this
disease, if there be any in his herd
as early as possible, before it spreads
and causes great financial loss Bovine
tuberculosis is more frequently found
in dairy cows and fine bred stock than
any others for the reason they are
more frequently housed together in
poorly ventilated stables. Under such
conditions one tuberculous animal may
in few weeks convey the disease to
a large per cent of the herd.
AS it is not an uncommon practice
to mix the milk before sending it to
market it can readily be seen how one
affected animal may contaminate a
large milk supply. We have a law
which requires the state dairy commits
sioner and his co-laborers to inspect
the milk and should any dealer be
found selling milk to which has been
added a goodly quantity of water OF
any preservatives he is punished, yet
the danger to public health from these
sources are not to. be compared with
that found in milk coming from tuber
culous animals.
Believe in Dairymen.
81 believe in the integrity of our
dairymen, and am of the opinion that
there are very few who would sell
milk from COWS known to be harborine
a dangerous disease, yet the animal
constitution is so strong that he never
suspects the presence of this insidious
malady until extensive degenerative
changes have taken place in several OF
the internal organs and the system
has become thoroughly impregnated
with the pathological products. Thus
it will be seen how widely the conta
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