Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-11-08
ARTICLE NO. 3.
Animal tuberculosis Precautions to
Prevent the Communication
Of Consumption.
ARTICLE NO. 3.

Bovine tuberculosis is the most lmpOr-
tant to man. The percentage OF mich
cows affected in New Jersey is unknown.
When a COW has tuberculosis the germ that
causes the disease may appear to the milk.
Ii will almost certainly do so if the udder
is affected, as it frequently is. The germ
is also found in many other organs, and in
the flesh used for food.
Until recently it was scarcely questioned
by anyone that tuberculosis of animals and
Tuberculosis OF man is not one and the same
disease, and that it might be communicated
from animal TO man, and from man to-
animal.
Many law have been passed, and have
been and are still being enforced in line
with this idea. About year ago Koch,
who discovered the germ that causes tuber-
culosis, announced. that the disease is not
the same in man aud animals; that the
germ that causes tuberculosis in man can
not be made to produce bhe tuberculosis In
animals.
He expressed the belief chat tuberculosis
Of animals could NOS be communicated to
man; at least, that this is SO rarely the case
that we can afford TO ignore this cause of
the disease.
Koch found practically no one OF ex-
perience TO support this view. On the con-
trarary the foremost men of the world who
have studied this subject are opposed to it.
I, The question is being re-investig tied, and
we should certainly be very unwise, at
least for the present, to omit any precau-
tion TO prevent contracting tuberculosis
from animals.
We may easily protect ourselves against
the germs Of tuberculosis found in meat
and milk. TIE germ is quickly destroyed
when heated to temperature of 1s0 de-
grees. 1t has been Shown that this tenn
perature is not reached in a large roast
eight to ten pounds--cooked rare. Meat,
however, is much less apt to be infected
than milk, and ordinarily cooking will de-
stroy any germs found there.
! TubercuIous disease of the bowls is not
an uncommon disease among young chill
dren How much of it is due to milk from
tubereulous COWS is unknewn. 1t is certain
shat Young animals fed on milk from a
tuberculous mother very frequently con-
tract the disease. 1t is extremely probable
shat such milk may cause tuberculosis in
| infants.
| The milk may be rendered safe by boil
ing, or, what is better, pasteurizing, which
is heating the milk to a temperature OF
1910 degrees.
But no one would knowingly drink, or
give to their children to drink, milk from
diseased COW, be the disease tuberculosis
or something else.
There should be rigid inspection OF
dairy COWS, and no one should be permitted
to sell milk except from COWS certified by a
competent veterinarian to be free from all
disease The public should demand this.
A feeling has arisen that the consumptiYe
/ is dangerous person, to be summed and
ostracized by healthy society. Already in
many places he is finding difficulty in get
ting into hotels and boarding houses.
| A lady from Michigan, who read Article
No. Of this series, has written suggesting
that the railroad companies should be COM
PEELED to furnish special cars for consump-
tive travellers. They have been refused
positions on account of the fear OF con-
tagion.
| The question Of excluding consumptive
teachers and scholars from the schools has
been officially raised.
This is an important matter that should
be well understood by the public.
| Consumption is not a contagious disease.
That is, the disease cannot be communicated
by ordinary contact with a consumptive, as
in smallpox or scarlet fever.
The germ which causes consumption is
not given off by the breath, except in
coughing or loud speaking, or by the skin,
or by any of the secretions or exertions Of
the body, except from the lungs.
When the bowels or kidneys are affected,
or where there are discharges from tuber-
culous ulcers, this is not true; but in con-
sumption, until late in the disease, at
least, the lungs,as rule, are alone affected.
The germs of the disease are found in the
sputnm and spittle Of she patient and 40
where else.
Care for the sputum properly and prompt
~ and the patient will mot endanger Others.
The consumpsive has obligations here which
be should consider. II ne will not, when
the way is pointed out, take the necessary
| precautions to protect society, he must ex-
pect society 70 resort to measures 70 pro
tect itself. BE viii be ostracizea be may
be isolated.