The Colville examiner. [volume] (Colville, Wash.) 1907-1948, 1920-12-25
MILK ORDINANCE,
BEFORE COUNCIL
AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR
TITBERCULIN TESTING OF
COWS PRESENTED
Measure Would Not Cost the City or
Cow Owners Amy Money-Other
Matters of Business Taken Up

proposed for the tuberculin testing
of cows furnishing milk to residents
of Colville, to insure milk free from
disease. The proposed ordinance will
also take care of other matters per-
tanning to the sanitation of milk.
Speaking for the Anti-tuberculosis
League, J. c. Harrigan presented
arguments to the council for the
adoption of milk ordinance design
ed to aid in the curbing of tubercu-
losis, especially among children, who
are particularly susceptible to the
bovine type of tuberculosis organism
contained in milk from cows having
the disease. "The bovine type of
tuberculosis can be controlled by re-
quiring our food stuffs to be free
from the disease. The bovine type
is responsible for Is to 20 per cent
of the tuberculosis among children"
were some of the facts brought by
Mr.. Harrigan, who presented five
specific arguments in favor of milk
ordinance such as mentioned.
% "From a financial standpoint
it is to the advantage of the citi-
zens of Colville to adopt such an or
dinance because the disease must be
curhed or the taxpayers will have
to pay for the ravages of the disease,
by supporting the INDECENT.
(2) "It would be good advertise
ment for Colville to pass such an
ordinance as it would be an induce
ment to people considering residence
in Colville to locate where they
would have protection for their food
supply.
(3) "Those compelled to come to
hospital for medical or surgical
treatment would be more likely to
c0me to ColviIle if they knew that Ihe
city's milk and food supply was alb
solutely protected.
(4) at is the duty of the city
council to give the citizens protec-
tion, not only in personal and real
property, but in life and health, and
we must begin to protect our child
rem and our public health.
(5) "The big humanitarian reason
involved in not feeding to babies and
children milk which contains disease
organisms, and not feeding milk to
invalids, especially those convalescing
from influenza, which contains the
tuberculosis organism"
1t was explained by Mr.. Harrigan
that the tuberculin testing of the
cows would not cost Colville one
cent as the expense is assumed by
the state and federal authorities.
The tuberculin test does not injure
an animal free from the disease and
the animals having the disease are
slaughtered and the state pays $25
and the federal government pays S25
to the owner; if the animal is
purebred, the state pays $50 and
the federal government $50 to the
owner.
III, llCHuCIoOL, lot iIidIy ycdlS q
health officer; G. M. Hinman, state
dairy inspector, and DR.. L. H. Roth
lisberger, veterinarian, were called
upon to state their views on such
an ordinance.
DR. Henderson endorsed all the
statements made by Mr.. Harrigan
and stated further that it was simply
asking for the things we have been
paying for for years; that other
places are getting this and we are
helping pay their expenses in getting
it.
Mr.. Hinman mentioned other places
in eastern Washington where the or
dinance had been in effect for some
time. Harrington was one of the
first to put through the ordinance,
followed by Garfield, Colfax and
Wenatchee, and Mr.. Hinman stated
that it is by no means necessary
that Colville should be the last to
take this forward step. The owner
of one or two cows, who takes care
of the cows and milk in the old
fashioned way, is more dangerous
to the community than the dairyman
Dr. Rothlisberger cited instances
in his experience showing that about
20%t of the average run of cows
reacted to the tuberculin test. at is
a well known fact" stated DR.. Roth
lisberger, "that one of the most
prominent places in which tubercu-
losia is found is in the cows udder.
The herd needs to be tested from
time to time as mice carry the disease
from one place to another"
H. ]. Plumb, county agent, was