The Ladysmith news and Ingram news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1905-1906, 1905-06-24
DANGERS OF TUBERCULOSIS.
Tuberculin Test and Better Sanitary
Conditions as Means of Preventing
Spread of the Disease.

spread OF TIC OlSSdSSs
tuberculosis in cattle as a serious
menace to the dairy interests of the
state and tbk Importance of the tuber-
culin test as a means of preventing the
spread of this deadly cattle plague,
are emphasized in the latest bulletin
of the University of Wisconsin expert
ment station, just prepared by Prof.
H. L. Russell of the department OF
dairy bacteriology. If the farmers and
dairymen of the state neglect the
simple precaution of making this
tuberculin test, the bulletin points out,
! there is serious danger of the cattle
and dairy interests of the state suffer-
ing large financial loss. Although
Prof Russell does not consider in de-
tail the question of the danger to hui
man life and public health OF the
neglect to guard against tuberculous
cattle, he emphasizes the fact that any
herd supplying milk as human food Tor
direct consumption should be safe
guarded against the possibility of this
malady when public sentiment IS
finally aroused in such matters as
this. he writes, 'cities will protect
their citizens by requiring tuberculln
tests to be made on all herds supply
inc milk for city delivery. Ii large
stiles. like ST. Paul, Minneapolis ana
Duluth can do this for their citizens,
cannot Wisconsin towns demand
similar projections" The milk sup
Dlfed by the three herds examined
and condemned during the past three
months was being delivered to hum
dreds of customers in two OF the larg-
est cities Of Southern Wisconsin.
Herd Badly Infected.
One of the most extensive outbreaks
of tuberculosis was recently found IN
the herd of a prominent daiTyman sup
plying milk to one of the larger cities
in the southern part of the state. The
owner had a fine dairy farm on the
outskirts of the city, and his business
had developed until at the time OF ex-
animation seveDty-fve animals were
kept. forty-siX of which were then IN
milk. An examination of an animal
somewhat out of condition revealed
the presence of tuberculosis, much to
the surprise of the owner and the
tuberculin test was then applied to
the whole herd. Fifty-seven in this
herd of seventy reacted to the test,
those that escaped being for the most
part young stock
Due to Poor Ventilation.
An examination Of the surroundings
an the farm showed well constructed
barns and stables. which were kept in
: a clean and sanitary manner, but no
provision was made for ventilation,
and this was undoubtedly the cause OF
the widespread dissemination or the
disease. In the stable the organism OF
tuberculosis retains its vitality for
many months, and where the barn IS
tightIv built with no system or ven
riIation. and is occupied by such
large herd. the conditions become
ideal for the distribution OF the dis
ease germ from animal to animal II 1t
once is introduced In thoroughly
we'll ventilated barn much OF the dis
nased matter would be carried OFF IN
the polluted air, but where animals
are forced to breathe the air over ana
over again until it reeks with moisture,
heat and material thrown off from the
lungs, they become predisposed to the
disease. and if the tubercle bacillus is
present are likely to become injected.
Doubtless the tuberculosis was
brought to the barn by buying new
cattle in previous years, one OK more
animals of which had the germs of the
disease in their systems, but not ad-
vanced far enough to permit ready
recognition of it. When once intro
duced into this environment the dis
ease spread rapidly, with the result
that in the course of a few years it be-
came necessary to destroy nearly all
Of the entire herd.
How the Test Is Made.
The method of determining wether
cattle are tuberculOus is a compare
tivelv simple one. The temperature
of the animal is taken several times
during the day to obtain the usual nor
nal range which may sometimes fiuc'
uate one or two degrees By means
of hypodermic syringe the tubercu'
lin is injected during the evening, and
the temperatures again taken abous
ten hours after injection. this process
being repeated four or five tunes az
intervals of two hours. II the temper
atures after injection rise two or more
degrees above the average normal anu
are maintained for some hours, the
test is regarded as positive PROOF Oh
the existence of tuberculOus Lessons,
although nothing can be foretold as
tn the extent of the disease in the AMI
mails. An unaffected animal shows no
rise in temperature when subjected
to such test.
Saved by Timely Action.
The bulletin cites the case of far
mer who attended the Farmers Course
at the College of Agriculture last win
ter. witnessing there demonstration
of the tuberculin test, and who resoiv
ed on going home to apply the test -
his own herd In his herd OF 20, onlS
one animal was found affected, the
ONLY recent addition. registered co"
lust bought for $3.50. In his laudable
attempt to improve his herd by using
better stock, he had, unwitt1ngly, III
troduced the dread plague. IL ne