Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-31
LOCAL MILK SUPPLY
TubercuIin Test of Cattle to
Be Made Compulsory.
DRAFT OF THE REGULATIONS
Proposed Law Prepared by Health OFF,
Ger Woodward.
APPROVED BY MR.. MACFARLAND
General Agreement Among Experts
High Prevalence of Disease-Iso-
lation Of the Animals.
DRAFT OF THE REGULATIONS
APPROVED BY MR.. MCFARLAND

In an effort to improve the local milk
supply Health Officer Woodward has pre-
pared a draft of regulations which will
make the tuberculin test of cattle sup
plying milk to the District compulsory. and
which will require the isolation of diseased
cattle from-the healthy ones.
draft of the proposed regulations was
submitted to Commissioner Macfarland yes
terday afternoon, was approved by him. and
will be forwarded to the corporation coun-
sci to be put in legal form before promulga-
ton. The local officials were driven to the
action stated, it is explained, because of
the known high prevalence of tuberculosis
among cattle on dairy farms in the District
and in Maryland and Virginia and be-
cause there seemed to be a general agree
ment among the experts as to the value of
the tuberculin test in discovering tuber-
culosjS before the cattle diseased with 1t
reach the point where the fact that they
have il is apparent to the eye of the trained
observer. Heretofore a tuberculin test has
been voluntary, and, according to the
health officials few dairymen have taken
advantage of it. but it is believed that the
time has come to make it compulsory. and
that it is within the power of the District
government to do so under the law and
regulations authorizing the isolation of dis
eased cattle from the milk herd.
Intention of Health Officer.
1t is the health officers intention by the
aid of his proposed regulations to not only
procure the isolation of the dairy cattle,
but of all cows heifers and bulls suffering
from tuberculosis as well. He contends
that tuberculosis is beyond question COM
municable disease among cattle, and that
it has been demonstrated to be commune
cable to human beings through infected
milk aad 1t was chiefly because of that he
recommended the proposed regulations. The
latter are as follows:
Section 16. No person shall in the Dis
trict of Columbia sell milk or cream. or
offer milk or cream for SALE or for manu-
facture into food products. or bring pro-
cure to be brought milk cream into said
District for sale or Or manufacture into
food products. or manufacture milk or
cream into any food product, unless the
COW or cows by which said milk cream
is produced have been proven by means of
the tuberculin test to be free from tuber-
culosis, as hereinafter specified
THE tuberculin test shall be applied to
every cow heifer and bull every farm on
which milk OF cream intended for sale or
for manufacture into food products in the
District of Columbia is produced at least
once in every twelve months; and any COW,
heifer or hull which gives a positive reac-
sidered tuberculous, and shall Immediately
be removed from said farm and shall not
there1 fter be returned to said farm nor
used for the production of, milk or cream
for sale or for manufacture into food prod
ucts in the District of Columbia.
To Be Permanently Marked.
Every COW, heifer and bull found as the
result of the tuberculin test to be free from
tuberculosis shall be permanently marked
health department of the District of Co
lumbia. so as to permit the ready identifi-
cation of said COW, heifer or bull by any
inspector in the service of the health de-
partment.
ANY person licensed to produce milk or
cream for sale for manufacture into
food products in the District of Columbia
or to ship milk cream into said District
for sale or for manufacture into food prod
ucts, must at any time, Immediately upon
the discovery of any COW, heifer or bull
suffering from tuberculosis on the farm
where such milk or cream is produced,
cause such cow. heifer or bull to be re-
moved Immediately from such farm, and
purtenances thereto which are liable to
have been infected to be promptly disin-
fected
No person shall put any tag furnished by
the HtdIlI Oepdl tIiitll VI DiotilCt VI
Columbia for the Identification of cattle
that have been found by the tuberculin
test to be free from tuberculosis upon any
COW, heifer or bull that has not been dem
onstrated by such test to be free from such
disease; nor shall any person knowingly
allow any such tag to remain upon any
COW heifer or bull that has developed
tuberculosis, but immediate upon the dis
covery of said disease shall remove said
tag if any has been affixed, and return 1t
to the health department.
Initiating Tags Prohibited.
No person shall make any counterfeit or
imitation of any tag furnished by the
health department for the purpose of
marking cattle that have been found by
the tuberculin test to be free from tuber-
culosis nor shall any person have any
such counterfeit or imitation in his pos
session.
Ali inspections and tuberculin testing re-
auired by this regulation shall be made
by veterinarians satisfactory to the health
officer of the District of Columbia, or to
the chief of the bureau of animal indus
try of the Department of Agriculture, and
any veterinarian making any such test
shall report the results thereof to the
health officer of the District of Co.
lumbia within one week after the COM
pletion of such test on blanks furnished
by said health officer for that purpose.
1t is Dr. Woodwards intention to have
these regulations go into effect three
months after they have been officially pro-
mulgated.