Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-04-30
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
DIR. Brock of the Bureau of Animal
Industry Discusses Germs In butter.

Industry Discusses Germs In BUTTER
TO the Editor of The Free Press;
Referring to II letter signed by some
one under the nom de plume Axtell,
am prompted TO make reply, not that
the writer offered anything which may
not better be overlooked as not worthy
of argument, but to present the matter
he refers to in fair light
The experiments he so contemptuously
refers to were made by Or. T.. G.
Schroeder, scientist universally ac-
knowlcdgcd as an authority, and second
to none I'm this country.
I shall not attempt to discuss them in
full. but would refer the writer and any
others who may be Interested to the re-
port. circular No. l27. which can be OBJ
tanned from the department of agricul-
turc at Washington.
Briefly stated, butter was made from
the milk of "a tuberculous COW. not n
broken down nearly dead animal, but
such Il one as can nc picked out from
nearly amy INFESTED dairy herd in TINS
state. and after being kept for different
lengths of time 1t was inoculatcd into
more than ~ guinea pigs, in order to
determine how long the germs live and
retain their Virulancc in butter, With
the exception Of five that died prcnla-
turcly from other causes and one that
was killed. all the guinea pigs died Of
gcncralizcd tuberculosis, and the one
that was killed was also found af-
fcctcd
The results Of these experiments prove
conclusively that germs live and arc
capahl' of causing infection four and a
half months after being transmitted from
tho milk into ordinary sailed butter.
They prove that the relative concentra-
tion of the bacteria is much greater in
butter than in milk, and that 1t is there
fore a very apt transmitter OF the dis
ease.
They eive new evidence. if any is
needed. Of the danger from the use Of
tubercuous cows for dairy purposes
The time Is passed when any well in
formed man will contest the fact that
bovine tuberculosis is transmssablc to
man. II has been proven conclusivcly.
Therefore it i'll becomes one gnornant of
The facts to sheer at the efforts Of the
department Of agriculture to control this
terrible disease.
can safely offer that If Axtell Will
furnish proper laboratory facilities.
vii ''t'''"~' WV ''''N''' -
pcrmcnts with samples of butter taken
at random throughout tine state not
such overwhelming results as these to
he sure. for these experiments were con-
Quoted with the butter from one tuber
culous cow while promiscuo"s samples
would contain the milk of both affected
and wei animals ana tho bacteria there-
fore be IN greater dilution; but enough
I, T. ton, no
binary table butter Is convcyor of the
disease.
To every thinking man the results of
these cNperi"nmonts should prove pow
crful argument for compulsory testing
Of dairy animals in this state To p"o-
pie Xix" AXt"ll they probably mean no'h-
ing and while suppose II is our duty
to protect such as he against themselves.
personally should prefer that they
take their dilutions of tubcrcular bacilli
in more concentrated solution and cease
to obstruct the path of progress.
He asks why it is that everybody is
not long ago deceased. Although OBJ
viously an attempt to be funny 1t is a
question that is often asked by the
ignorant, SO ] will try and explain.
Statistics from post mortems in large
cities show that one-seventh and up
ward of the whole population die of
tuberculosis. and that one-third OF those
who die fro:l other causes have suffered
from it. That is. they have ut some tim"
been afflicted with tn" disease and their
systems have been strong enough 10 sue
ocssfully combat the progress Of the in
NadinS organisms.
You and ! may he among them or we
may be Of those who nave come in con-