The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-06-10
FRANK B. HOWE, Editor and Publisher
The TubercuIIn Test.

The New York Herald has for years
fought the tuberculi test for cattle
and advocated segregation of infected
cattle. In its last Sunday issue the
Herald devotes a page to the matter,
quoting from prominent veterinaries
who agree with that view. DIR. David
b. Treadway In the course of his re-
marks says Vermont has probably
the cleanest herds OF any state In this
part of the country" But he lays this
not to the enforcement OF the tubercl-
lin test but to the close inspection Of
cattle brought into the state.
There is to be sure some little grum'
bling at the heavy cost to the state Of
condemning diseased cattle but one
Of the results Is seen In the quotation
above from an eminent New York
authority. Thanks to the diligent
work of our present cattle commission
and his predecessors Vermont ID get
ting a reputation for clean herds OF
cattle. 1t costs high to be sure but
good things do not come free. 1t Is
interesting to note also that since the
campaign of determination Of diseas-
ed cattle has been In force In this
state has been under way there has
been q decrease In tuberculosis among
human beings. Under these circum-
stances the state can hardly afford to
90 backwards In the matter.
A recent issue OF the American Vet
Urinary Review contains an interest
ing article on the eradication of ami.
NAL tuberculosis by Burton Rogers,
ID. v. NJ, of the Kansas State Medical
college. The following are some ex'
tracts from his article:
DR.. A. d. Melvin, chief Of the Bur
eau of Animal Industry, U. s. Depart.
ment of Agriculture, shows In his last
annual report issued In January OF
this year, that about 100000 tubercu'
lous hogs were discovered by the fed
eral inspectors during the fiscal year
OF 1907. OF this number about $4,000
we're so badly affected with the dis
ease that no part Of them compiled
with the Pure Food Laws, and were
therefore Of necessity removed from
our meat supply. The remainder were
considered bad enough to condemn
parts" alone, and the part" usually
consists of the head and neck Of the
animal, averaging loss Of at least
fifty cents each, besides making the
rest Of the meat Of the animal come
from one that could not be said to
have come from an absolutely healthy
animal. This 100000 is an immense
and sudden Increase over the number
of tuberculous hogs discovered In the
fiscal report OF 1906, and to one who
was not conversant first hand with
the history OF U. s. inspection would
at once conclude the disease had In
creased that much during the year
The real facts are that better methods
are now In vogue In all the packing
houses thar we're few years ago and
furthermore 1t Is uniformly so.
But be that as II may. the impor
tant question confronting us In this
progressively economical age is:
Could tuberculous germs have beer
prevented from entering these 100000
hogs setting up the disease In the
varying degrees that caused the de
probation OF all and the complete ex
clusion Of $4,000 hogs?
Recent federal and state expert
ments show that tuberculous cattle
Especially cows with pulmonary con
sumption, cough up germs into theil
mouths where they are subsequently
swallowed (for who ever saw a COW
spit or vomit) just like the cud. Some
Of these germs pass through the WALL
Of the intestines into the blood yes
sells and from there to new place II
the cows lungs. She harvests crol
of germs, but plants them again thu
same day. But the most Of the germ
pass out of the intestines with tn,
manure or faces. Experiments show
that as many as 100000 tuberculou
germs can thus be passed out of on,
COW In one day. Any small particl,
may then contain an immense numbe
and when dried may become part o
the dust that may later fall In tn
milk pail and reach the consumer.
tuberculosis Is an unpleasant sui
ject and so are some of its importan
facts. Hogs find much nutrition Il
the faces Of cattle and consequent
devour them greedily and farmer
take advantage Of this fact and or
courage 1t by turning hungry hogs In
to such environments. Because hog
have been removed from their natul
al, free roaming conditions and bee
placed In small pens with lots to ca
they have deteriorated physically an
taking on large quantities Of fat, ar
today considered the most susceptible
J Iof all animals to tuberculOus germs
Therefore hogs associating with tube
culous germs as above indicated ca
hardly help becoming more or less a
J |fected according to the number {
germs given Off, and therefore propo
Tomato to the degree Of dangerousnes
Of the COW. Stopping right here fc
a moment, every intelligent reade
. just given, and possibly evolve a
= ldutoInatlC pan lot locating the udngt
: Gus tuberculous animals.
On nearly every farm hogs and ca
tie associate In the same pens and pa
lures to a greater or less extent. Mo,
4 hogs are ready for market within
year after birth. The bulk OF hos
are slaughtered In packing houses ha
7 ing federal inspection, where ever
/ single hog IA given two Thorough a
aminations for tuberculosis. Durir
! the fiscal year 1907, 100000 hogs wei
under communicating conditions on Il
I farms from which they came, and Il
4 milk and milk pals are exposed to Il
, same dangerous conditions on thei
I same farms. Assuming that thei
4 same farmers are raising an equ
, number Of hogs this year, then 1900
4 living hogs are at present exposed
y ltha uama COnt n m In nj In " conditions 4