Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-09-09
AMERICAN VETERI-
NARY SURGEONS
BY Frederic
]. Hask;n

ed from precautionary measures. Be
fore the process of immunizing northern
cattle to the Texas fever, few thorough
bred cattle were shipped to the south.
because of the fact that from 70 to 80
per cent of those shipped died within a
comparatively short time after their ar
rival on the southern farms. Since the
perfection of this immunizing process
there is no difficulty of shipping to south
ern points, and the cattle and dairy in
dustry in the southern states has en-
joyed a remarkable development. A
method of incubation of the bile against
rinderpest has proved to be highly sue
cessful in South Africa, and it Is believed
1t will revolutionize the cattle business
of the dark continent. The United States
bureau of animal industry has been one
of the leading forces of the world in the
investigation of animal diseases. and has
perfected vaccines for the majority Of the
contagious and infectious diseases TO
which animal life is subject.
It is interesting to note that the pack
ing house business recognizes more than
30 animal products which are used as
medicine for human beings. If there
were no other reason for the careful
veterinary inspection required under the
meat inspection law to insure healthy
meat products, the guaranteeing that
these 30 remedies are pure would be suf-
ficient reason for the maintenance Of this
inspection. How much we are exposed
to danger of the communication of ami
NAL diseases to human beings, through
these remedies, is shown by the case OF
suprarenalin. 1t requires the suprare-
nal glands of 100000 sheep to make a sin
gle pound of suprarenalin. II any one
of these sheep was suffering from a con-
tagious disease 1t might be spread to
thousands of patients upon which that
pound OF suprarenalin IL used. This
preparations used in connection with del
icate surgical operations for stopping the
flow Of blood, and costs more than 5000
a pound.
The veterinarians have no patience with
the well-meaning people who would put 9
stop to vivisection and other forms OF
animal experimentation. They, along
with all other medical men, agree that
the greatest triumphs OF medical science
have come about through animal ex-
Fermentation. They tell US that all our
knowledge about regenerative growth OF
tissues, the union of fractured bones
the activities and functions of the vari-
Gus organs Of the body-a thousand
things essential to medical progress
have come about through experiments
performed on animals. Above this II
has served more than anything else
to lift the dark cloud that formerly OBJ
secured all matters of infectious disease
and has burst the bonds of thralldom In
which the human race has been held
by such diseases.
The agricultural colleges of the coun-
try nearly all have provided courses in
the care of live stock, in which are
taught the fundamental principles OF
veterinary medicine The students who
take these courses are Of course not
we'll enough equipped in veterinary SCI
ence to become registered practitioners
but are taught enough to enable them
to take all the precautions Of proven
tive medicine and at the same time tc
treat the thousand and one small all
ments to which animal life is heir.
There was much superstition connect
ed with live stock diseases In years gone
by. Some thought that the poor, run
down condition Of certain cattle In the
farmyard was due to hollow horn, and q
system Of treatment was resorted to- In
many cases tuberculosis was the real
ailment. Hollow tail was another dis
ease which the provincial attributed to
certain OF his cattle. The majority OF
thin, raw-boned animals are in that con-
dition, either from the ravages of tuber-
culosis, or else from the lack OF atten.
ton, and hollow horn and hollow tai
are now believed to have been little more
thaI euphonfous excuses for eronIv v
Stomachs or decayed lungs