Connecticut western news., 1908-03-05
THE PREVENTION
 OF TUBERCULOSIS
LIGHT AND AIR ARE NECESSARY
pr. Phyfe Believes the Sanitary Stable is a Strong Factor in Stamping out the Disease Sunlight Destroys the TubercIe BaciIIi-Air and Light Should be Considered Farm Crops.

Should be Considered Farm Crops.
 Dr. w. II. Phyfe, veterinarian in
 Borden employ, and who has made in spections of numerous dairies in this section is the author of the following article on bovine tuberculosis.
 There is at present, considerable dis cussion regarding tuberculosis in cattle and the best methods of eliminating it. It is question of much interest and a very important enc as there seems to be no well-defned way of handling the dis ease without great loss to the individual stock owner and large expense to the state. Testing and slaughtering, al- though expensive, Is very effective and is, thus far, practically the only plan under consideration.
 It would be we'll if some method could be devised along the line of sanitary stables to prevent the spreading of the disease and relieve to some extent, these more severe and necessary measures. It will be found that the we'll lighted, we'll ventilated and clean stable is strong factor in its elimination before final con- clusions are reached A dark upven- tilated stable is perfect conservatory for the tubercle bacillus and here is where most of the infection occurs. A tuberculous cow in the field with others during the summer months is not very great source of danger but place this same COW in close stable for the winter and she is liable to infect all tke others stabled with her. A herd may be tested and those responding to the test des- troyed. Some of the others may also he infected but not sufficiently so as to re- act. Now, so long as these animals that we assume may be tubercplo Is are in the field, they constitute small source of danger; and the degree of danger they possess while in the stable depends alto gether on the amount of pure air all.
 light that the stable has.
 Why should a stable be ventilGtc 1, To insure a supply of pure air for every animal and to lessen the danger of in lection of healthy animals by diseased ones that may be, perhaps, stabled with them. Also to allow foul air to pass eu- tirely out of building and prevent it coming in contact with and damaging hay and other fodder stored therein.
 Why should stable be we'll lighted? If stable were to be converted into a greenhouse the first thing to be con- sidered would be light and the necessity of light for flowers obtains also for ami mals. Light is essential, alike for plant and animal life, little more noticeable, perhaps, in plants, but close observation shows the animal kingdom equally re- sponsive to its influence and the lambs, the calves, the COWS and horses all need it as we'll as the violets, the pansies. car nations and roses. They need it not only as means of promoting good health, but also for their proper growth and development.
 In the construction of barns very lit tie attention has been given to the ven tilation and lighting of the stable until within the past few years. Of course space is allowed for the storage of hay and grain and this space is filled with the product of the fields annually at more or less expense. If we would just go little further and arrange for ven- tilatfon and light, it would add little to the original cost, but the annual ex- pense afterward for harvesting pure air and light would be simply nothing. It would be the cheapest crop on the farm i ud the crop that the future progressive | sIockman is going to secure. Instead of pure air and light in the stable being an luxury, It is in reality a cheap necessity and should be considered 1 among the. essential supplies to carry ,he stock through the winter. It has l been demonstrated that sunlight de- stroys tubercle bacilli and, this being | he case, why not use to advantage this ,heap and effective germicide? Why lot accept the prescription that Nature offers so freely?
 The state would make no mistake in placing in hands of every dairyman within it's limits literature bearing on proper methods of ventilating and ighting stables. Then a clause might l. ,e inserted in the Williams bill now be- ore the Assembly to the effect that any lairyman who puts such methods into lse shall receive full value for all cattle destroyed by state authority. Every table fitted up ln this way would aid ,reatly in eradicating tuberculosis. While we believe thoroughly in the