Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-06-01
.isS.S. 's.S'sS.'S'eS.S' sS.S..S..i.S..S. .3.3..S
!.
J. CLEMSON EXTENSION WORK !.
!. i
y. Article TX. y.
- !.
y q q. 2. -
Article TX.
.S.ssl..5. s.3.e.s3.sS..3. .i..i..s.i..i..i. -,
tuberculosis of Dairy Cattle.


Tuberculosis of Dairy Cattle.
In the present movement for the
eradication Of tuberculosis from
South Carolina one important source
of danger has evidently received lit
tie consideration-the tuberculosis
COW.
While some difference of opinion
exists regarding the danger OF inter-
transmissibility Of tuberculosis, most
Investigators are convinced that 1t
y Is possible for the disease to be trans
3lmitted from cattle to human beings.
y European and American scientists
have shown that healthy cattle con-
tract tuberculosis when human tu-
bercle barilli are injected into their
bodies, and, as bovine tubercle bac-
ill are frequently recovered from
the tissues of the human body, 1t
seems that the transmissibility Of the
disease must be admitted.
AS dairy products form an import
ant part of the diet Of practically
all persons, and in some instances
the entire diet OF infants, the tuber-
culous dairy cow cannot be overlook
ed in fight against the white
plague.
Unfortunately cattle which are in
an apparently healthy condition are
often affected with tuberculosis, and,
AS the disease progresses slowly, may
live for years without causing their
owners to even suspect the presence
OF the disease. In the meantime,
however, the cattle may be dissent
mating tubercie7 bacilli, injecting the
milk as well as their surroundings.
1t was formerly believed that un-
less cattle were affected with tuber-
culosis of the udder milk could be
safely used, but recent investigations
have shown the falacy Of this belief.
DR.. Schroeder, Of the United States
Department OF Agriculture, has re-
Gently shown that faces from appar-
emily healthy cattle contain large
numbers Of tubercle bacilli which
have undoubtedly found their way
from the diseased lungs to the mouth
and throat and thence to the intes-
tines. In view Of the fact that milk
Is almost invariably contaminated
with faeces, it now seems that this
is the most common channel by
which tnbercle hacil!i infect milk.
Experiments have shown that tu-
bercle bacilli retain their virulence
for much longer time in dairy pro .
duets than in the body discharges,
and DR.. Schroeder has also proved
that tubercle bacilli may live and
remain virulent in butter for Il pc
rlod OF five months. Bearing in
mind that cream and butter, as well
as milk, may contain virulent tuber-
Gle bacilli, 1T Is not difficult to see
how bovine tubercle bacilli may gain
entrance to the human body. In this
connection 1T might be well TO state
that DR.. Ravenel, native Of South
Carolina, was one Of the first to show
that tubercle bacilli can pass through
the intestinal wall without iniur;ng
the same and eventually reach the
lungs and other organs OF the body.
Although one Of the most common
diseases of dairy cattle, it is practi-
cally impossible to diagnose tIbercu-
losis by physical examination un-
less the animal is in an advance d
stage of the disease. Fortunate ely,
however, the tuberculin test enables
competent veterinarians to detect the
disease in its early stages. This test
when properly conducted, enables the
cattle owners to discover tubcrcu'ous
cows and remove them from his
herd, thus preventing spread Of the
disease which would otherwise re-
suit.
Tuberculin also makes possible the
enactment OF city and town orGi-
nances for protection Of public
health by prohibiting the sale of milk
from cattle which are thus shown
to be affected with tuberculosis.
|, (Grecnville and Spartanburg are the
; only cities in South Carolina having
such ordinances.)
AT the present time thirty-three
States including South Carolina }
have laws requiring the testing of all
dairy and breeding cattle and their
freedom from tuberculosis before
they are allowed to enter these
States. Laws OF this kind, by pre-
venting the importation Of tubercu-
lons dairy cattle, place the individ-
ual States in a position to begin sys-
tematic eradication of the disease,
and as nineteen States have passed
such laws within the past year, this
indicates the awakening OF the peo-
pie and a great advance In national
GRAmpaign against the tuberculous
try COW. NJ. Ray Powers,
State Veterinarian.