The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1911-12-13
FIGHTING DISEASE
ON The FARM
Scientific Methods Of State
Board in Protecting Live
Stock Investments.
PLANS SAVING OF MILLIONS
Vigorous Campaign Against Bovine
Tuberculosis-Value of Laboratory
Work to Stockmen and Veterinar-
ians.

Observation-Disclosures Of Laboratory
Work to Stockmen and Veterinar-
ians.
A state board at Harrisburg pro-
poses to save the farmers of Penn
sylvania five million dollars a year.
1t is estimated that the farmers of this
state annually lose live stock worth
that amount of money by diseases
which can be prevented. The State Live
Stock Sanitary Board has rendered
valuable service to the Pennsylvania
farmer since its organization fourteen
years ago, but its work appears to
have only begun The last census
shows that there are 206,975 farms in
Pennsylvania, and that the value OF
the live stock on these farms is $13S,-
219,000. The plans of the state board
to protect this investment from pre-
ventable losses from disease are be-
ing closely followed, not only by live
stock raisers and breeders of the
United States, but by those abroad.
Pennsylvania was the first state to
organize and properly equip labor
atory where diseases of animals could
be studied and recognized. 1t has
proven of inestimable value to stock
men and veterinarians. 1t is located
at the veterinary school in Philadel
phia, where all possible facilities are
employed to study the mysterious dis
eases of animals. The laboratory is
under the direction of DR.. Karl f.
Meyer who was trained in the best
schools of continental Europe. DR..
Meyer also has charge of experiment
tai work on the state farm, which is |
located in Delaware County. He, with
his staff of qualified assistants, are
engaged in studying the diseases of |
domestic animals in PENNSYLVANIA. At |
the same time they are engaged in the |
preparation of many test fluids, such |
as tuberculin, mallein, etc, for the !
diagnosis of disease. The preparation |
of vaccine and sera for all diseases !
against which preventive vaccination |
measures can be taken, are made in |
accordance with the latest advance
ments Of science.
Wide Range Of Laboratory Work.
Since Jan. l, 1911, $4,000 doses OF |
tuberculin, 1000 doses OF anthrax vac 1
cine and sixty gallons Of hog cholera /
serum have been prepared in the lab 1
oratory and distributed among Penn
sylvania farmers free Of cost These !
three products alone. il purchased in
the market, would have cost practi- |
cally $4,000: more than half the !
amount of money appropriated for |
laboratory work for the next two |
years Hog cholera causes the larg. |
est proportionate loss Of any disease |
Of swine, and this industry represents !
money value Of over six million dol.
lars. Much of the laboratory work !
has been done under adverse circum-
stances, but ample facilities are now
provided for doing the work under the |
best and safest conditions and much |
better results may be expected in the |
future.
During the period referred to the |
laboratory examined $50 pathological |
specimens sent in by local practition-
ers. In many cases the cause of the |
disease was discovered and valuable |
information furnished for handling it, |
The diseases caused by poisonous |
plants and parasites have been made |
the subject Of special investigation. |
The laboratory has gained an interna-
tional reputation on account of its tu-
berculosis research work. and 1t is
hoped that with the improved facili.
ties and equipment furnished by the
state that it will take a prominent |
place among those of the countries of |
Europe in veterinry research work
The fight of the board against bo-
vine tuberculosis is an impressive fea.
ture of its efficient service to the cat.
tie industry. This was one of the first
animal diseases to receive the boards
attention. The plans for handling 1t
we're carefully made and iudiciously
executed. The first tuberculin testing
In America was done by the late DR..
Leonard Pearson, and a vigorous
campaign against this disease has
been directed.
Menace of Bovine tuberculosis.
The laws and rules regulating
the boards work are recognized
as the best by veterinarians through.
out the country. Recently dur.
ing six weeks 3742 head of cattle,
brought into PENNSYLVANIA for dairy
purposes were submitted to the test
Of this number twenty-three failed to
pass the test. During the same period
952 native cows were tested for farm
ers and forty were condemned and
safely eliminated from the herds.
Dealers are becoming more in sympa.
thy with the work of testing animals
properly before offering them for sale
Dairymen are much more careful In
purchasing dairy cattle that are free
from tuberculosis than they were for
merly. The most intelligent realize
that dairy business cannot be con.
Quoted profltably unless the disease
is checked
The importance of keeping tubercu
losis free herds is still more apparent
in breeding herds. All states in which
dairying is carried on extensively
have laws requiring that dairy ant
breeding cattle must be properly test
ed before they can be accepted from
another state or country. It is lmpera
tive that dealers, dairymen and breed
ers should observe the laws, rule!
and regulations for shipping cattl
from one state to another in accord