Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1910-05-26
CLEMSON BULLETIN POINTS OUT
DANGER OF BOVINE IUBERCLE
Danger to Man in the Use of Milk and
Butter From Affected Cattle Should
Be Guarded Against.

In the present movement for
the eradication of tuberculosis
from South Carolina one impor-
: tant source of danger has evil
IDENTIFY received little considera-
ton, the tuberculosis cow, ac-
cording to the Clemson college
bulletin on tuberculosis of Dairy
Cattle"
While some difference of opin-
ion exists regarding the danger
of Notwithstanding of tuber-
culosis, most Investigators are
convinced that it is possible for
the disease to be transmitted
from cattle to human beings.
European and American scien-
lists have shown that healthy
cattle contract tuberculosis when
human tubercle bacilfi are inject
ed into their bodies. AS bovine
tubercle bacilli are frequently re-
covered from the tissues of the
human body, it seems that the
transmissibility of the disease
must be admitted.
AS dairy products form an i'm
portant part of the diet of prac-
tically all persons and in some
instances the entire diet of in
fants, the tuberculosis dairy cow
cannot be overlooked in fight
against the white plague. l.
was formerly believed that un-
less cattle were affected with
tuberculosis of the udder the
milk could be safely used, but
recent Investigations have shown
the fallacy of this belief.
Experiments have shown that
tubercle bacilli retain their
virulence for a much longer time
in dairy products than in the
body discharges, and DR.. Schroe-
der of the United States depart
ment of agriculture has proved
that tubercle bacilli may live
and remain virulent in butter
for a period of five months.
Bearing in mind that cream and
butter as well as milk may con-
tain virulent tubercle bacilli, it
is not difficult to see how bovine
tubercle bacilli may gain en-
trance to the human body.
Although one of the most COM
mon diseases of dairy cattle, it
is practically impossible to
diagnose tuberculosis by physi-
cal examination unless the
animal is in an advanced stage
of the disease. Fortunately.
however, the tuberculin test
enables competent veterinarians
to detect the disease in it's early
stages. This test, when properly
conducted, enables the cattle
owner to discover tuberculous
cows and remove them from his
herd. thus preventing spread of
the disease which would other
wise result.
Tuberculin also makes possible
the enactment of city and town
ordinances for protection of
public health by prohibiting the
sale of milk from cattle which
are thus shown to be affected
with tuberculosis. (Greenville
and Spartanburg are the only
cities in South Carolina having
such ordinances.)
At the present time 33 States
Gncluding South Cardinal 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 preventing Importation of
tuberculous dairy cattle, place
the individual States in position
to begin systematic eradication
of the disease, and as 10 States
passed such laws within the past
year, this indicates the awaken
ing of the people and great ad-
vance in a national campaign
against the tuberculous dairy
cow.