Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-11-03
FIGHTING A DREAD DISEASE
Tuberculosis to Be Feared as
Scourge Unless Radical
Measures Are Taken. i
o,,., ,,... BY DIR DR.. 4. D. MELyrk, ;,

By DIR, A. D. MELVIN,
Chief United States Bureau Of Animal Industry.
Reports of tuberculin tests made in
the fifteen years from 1893 to 1908 by
federal, state and other officers with
tuberculin prepared by the Bureau OF
Animal Industry have been carefully
analysed and tabulated. Out of 100000
cattle tested (mostly dairy cattle) there
were $4,000 reactions, or s.25 per cent.
From these two classes Of statistics
it is concluded that on an average
about 10 per cent of the mich COWS. /
per cent of other cattle and . per cent
OF the hogs in the United States are
affected with tuberculosis, the average
percentage for all the cattle being esti-
mated at 3.5.
The accuracy of the tuberculin test
has been confirmed in renarkable
way by post-mortem examinations.
Out of 1850 reacting cattle slaugh-
tered LESSONS of tuberculosis were found
in 2s,5s5, a percentage of 1881.
Properly prepared tuberculin applied
by competent person is therefore
shown to be a wonderfully reliable
agent for diagnosing tuberculosis.
In cases where the test appears to
give unsatisfactory results this Is usu-
ally due to the use of a poor quality Of
tuberculin or to ignorance or careless
ness in applying it.
The economic loss on account of tu-
berculosis in food producing animals
is heavy. The loss on animals in which
tuberculosis is found in the federal
meat inspection Is estimated at $2,3S3,-
4s3 annually, and II the same condi-
lions were applied to animals slaugh
tered without federal inspection the
I-or zIs
! for food In the United States would be
increased to $A,102,43S.
The stock OF animals on hand is also
deprecated in value because of tuber-
culosis. Assuming that living tuber-
culous mich cows are annually depre-
ciated to the extent of one-tentn Of
what the loss would be if they were
slaughtered, other cattle one-thfrd and
hogs one-half, the total annual depre-
citation amounts to $s,046,21s.
The annual loss from decrease in
milk production is estimated at $1.150,-
900, and there also Is some loss from
impairment OF breeding qualities. etc.
Taking all these items into account, the
aggregate annual loss because of tu-
berculosis among farm animals In the
United States is estimated at not less
. than s14.060,0o0.
Such heavy financial losses make the
eradication OF tuberculosis from farm
:. animals very desirable purely as an
economic matter. AS the disease is
found principally among cattle and
hogs, and as most Of the injection in
hogs is derived from cattle, the main
, effort should be directed against the
disease In cattle. Among the measures
, proposed are the following: Live stock
owners should be educated by means
: Of official publications. the agricultural
and general prees, lectures at farmers
institutes, etc.
Public authorities should make sys-
tenatic effort to determine to what ex-
, tent and In what localities the disease
r exists. and should apply the tubercu-
s lin test generally and systematically tc
cattle In sections where this seems de.
: sirabls.
Reacting animals should be slaugh'
y tered under competent veterinary In.
spection, so that the loss may be min
$ i,nized by passing carcasses for foot
where the injection Is SO slight tina
4 this can safely be done; dangerous car
casses, Of course. to be condemned,