The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1907-05-10
THE STATES DUTY.

THE STATES DUTY.
Cattle must be given open air and
wholesome food to prevent tuberculo-
sis, according to federal government
official. Hammocks on the porch or
sleeping in tents out of doors have
been effectively employed by humans
as means of preventive, so that the
theory sounds we'll enough for cattle.
But in the meantime, so long as tuber-
culosis still exists in cattle, Nebraska
ought to enjoy as much protection as
possible through the medium of local
| inspection. The state, as a duty to
| its citizens, owes this protection. The
plan is now being used in California
and several other states. State Vet
erinarian McKim of Nebraska urges
it's adoption here as means of pre-
serving health. DR.. Mccormack, a
physician representing the American
Medical society, also emphasized this
need.
In support of the theory that the
public ought to be protected by local
inspection against tubercular germs in
meat and milk, DR.. d. E. Salmon, late
chief of the bureau of animal indus
try, has produced a valuable report
on tuberculosis of the food producing
animals, which the department of ag-
| rin ho Co
mon calls attention to the fact that,
while there has been in the past much
differences of opinion as to the effect
of animal tuberculosis upon the pub
lie health, the majority of students of
| the subject are now convinced the bo-
vine tuberculosis may be communicate
ed to human beings, and that, there
fore, greater precautions should be
taken to protect human beings from
animal tuberculosis than are now gen
orally followed. The careful inspec-
ton of meat producing animals at the
time OF slaughter and of COWS from
which milk, cream and butter are pro-
duced is urged, and practical advice
is given as to the methods of eradicat.
ing tuberculosis and of caring for cat
tie in such way that the disease will
not spread through herds.
DR.. Salmon makes the following
statement The ideal conditions for
health and for resistance to tubercu-
losis contagion are life in the open air
and an abundant supply of nutritious
food. Care of the stable, absolute
cleanliness and the free use of disin-
fectants are of prime importance"
In this connection, also, the follow
ing material from the Youths Com
panion is of value:
A most important contribution to
the mass of testimony in regard to
consumption has lately been made by
Prof. K. Won Behring of Berlin. Study
ing the disease in the same careful
way and by the same painstaking
methods as those by which DR.. Koch
reached the conclusion that bovine
tuberculosis cannot be communicated
to man, DR.. Behring has reached a
conviction so absolutely antagonistiC
to this as to be startling. Not only
does he conclude that bovine tubercu.
losis may be and is communicated To
man, but he declares that the most
frequent source of infection is cows
milk, and the most frequent time the
period of infancy, when milk is the
usual diet.
He holds, moreover, that in both
kinds of nfection-through the mouth
and nose, and by food-the microbes
of the disease go first through the
lymphatics and blood vessels before
they attack, or even reach, the lungs
DR.. Behring believes that most persons
who develop consumption receive the
germ of the disease in infancy. Since
the publication of his views the report
of the British royal commission on
tuberculosis, appointed six years ago
has appeared. 1t bears out Prof. Beh
rings contention that in the majority
of cases cows milk is responsible foI
tuberculOus infection.
1t has often been noted that millions
of dollars are spent in fighting the
white plague, while comparatively nc
attention is paid by the public to pre-
vention of the disease by spending
money and energy in getting at the
roots.