El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-02-26

but the latter, when grown in human
blood serum, assumes the human form.
By similar means the human bacillus
can be converted into the bovine. And,
curiously enough, the latter can be
changed to the human by passing it
through the body of a cat But the
substantial result of DR.. Mothers ex-
periments is proof that tuberculosis is
communicable, through milk, from cows
to human beings.
The malignant disease called AN
thrax'' is being steadily wiped out by
the rigid quarantining of infected ami
mails, the burning of the carcasses of
victims, and other such measures
though, IN the south. farmers are com
monty unwilling TO cooperate, Being
satisfied to tie "'hoodoo" bags AROUND
the necks Of their cattle, as a measure
or protection.
All kinds of diseases of domestic ami
mails are referred for investigation to
Dr.. Mohler, who had occasion recently
to study an infectious eye trouble of
cattle. which made its appearance in
the stockyards of Cincinnati.
1t was he who worked out the mys-
terry Of the vaccine virus, infected with
foot and mouth disease, which caused
much trouble a while ago. The vac
cine. il seems, came from Japan to a
Philadelphia concern, which sold some
Of it TO Detroit dealers, who inocula-
ted calves with 1t, and afterwards sold
the calves, thus spreading the mischief
widely.
The Use of Serum.
Dr. Marion Dorset, who is at the head
Of the biochemic division, has charge
OF the business of preparing and dis
tributing '%tuberculin," which IS used
nowadays all over the country as a
means of testing cattle for tuberculosis.
If an injection of it causes rise OF
temperature, the animal is diseased. In
like manner, he manufactures and sends
out ''mallein, for diagnosing CHAMBERS
in horses. Such work, of course, re-
quires great care and skill.
But DR.. Dorsets big achievement has
been the development Of a serunlf which
renders hogs immune to hog cholera
This serum is made on an experimental
farm near Ames, Ia. Twenty states of
the union have already taken the manu-
facture OF the stuff, by the help Of
which it is expected that the dreaded
maIady, due to a bacillus. viii be wiped
out entirely before long.
Meat Inspections.
DR. Dorset has charge OF all the lab
oratories, located in the large packing
centers. which attend TO the business
Ol inspecting meat pIOOuClSs sum %
sausage, canned meats. etc. Govern
ment inspectors are always on the
watch in the packing establishments
to see that everything is as it should
be; but, as an additional precaution,
samples of the goods are bought in
open market from time to time, and ex-
amined at the laboratories for illicit
coloring matter and such preservatives
as boraX and salicylic acid.
-
at stockyards and in the packing
houses is under the charge of Dr.. Rice
F. Steddom. It is a gigantic Job, en-
ploying the services of $500 people
| the biggest force being in Chicago, and
numbering $50. Formerly about ESQ
women were on the payroll. at Chicago,
South Omaha, Kansas City, East St.
Louis and New York, examining pork
/ for export to Germany, to make sure
that it did not contain trichinae. This
kind Of work was done with the micro
scope. But the Germans, lacking conf
dence, repeated the inspection, and so
we gave it up.
Graduating Disease.
| The active work of eradicating dis
eases of domestic animals falls to DR..
Steddom. 1t is his division that has ac-
compIished such wonders with sheep
|
are caused by poisonous mites), and
in the determination Of the cattle ticks
carriers of cattle fever), which cost
the south many millions of dollars an
nually, incidentally preventing the de-
velopment of the cattle growing and
dairy industries in that section of the
country As already stated, $4,000
square miles have been freed from the
ticks within the last four years, and
| u. - frnr
SIS more head than those reared out
side of it. while calves bring twice as
much.
The zooIogist of the bureau is Dr. B.
H Ransom, whose business it is TO
study the insect parasites that cause
diseases in domestic animals-such, for
example as ticks, mites and tapeworms
in chickens and turkeys. He finds out
all about their life histories, thus FUR
nishing a basis of knowledge upon
which active measures for defense
against them may be taken
Animal Quarantine.
At Athens. n. J., is the largest sta
ton for the quarantine or imported
animals. where the latter, arriving at
the port of New York, are kept under
watch for a while, 10 make sure mat
there is nothing the matter with them
There is a similar station near Balti-
more, another near Boston, and yet an
other near Philadelphia. All OF these
are under the charge Of DR. Richard W.
Hickman, whose business ii Is TO dl-
rect the inspection Of the animals
In Europe. and elsewhere abroad
they have certain diseases, such as
the dreaded "rinderpest," which we
are anxious to keep out Of this coun-
! try. The law requires that all ruml-
nants and swine from any part OF the
world, except North America, must un-
dergo a period of quarantine before
being admitted. In addition, Dr. HlcK-
man and his subordinates see that yes
sells carrying export livestock nave
proper equipments and arrangements
for ventilation, feed, water and attend
ance.
From this brief description Of the
work of the 3. A L, as 1t is called in
Washington. it Will be seen that this
is a bureau whose activities are not
only multitudinous and widespread,
but OF enormous usefulness to the
country and TO the people at large.
THAT the latter should possess even a
little knowledge of its work and the