The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1921-07-28
EXPERT IS HERE
TESTING HERDS
Results So Far Show Many
Reactors, Which Are
Separated
ECHILDREN CHIEF SUF-
FERERS FROM INFECTION
Control Measures for Checking
Further Spread of Dis
ease Declared to be
Imperative

Imperative
DR.. Gillen Of Cleveland is in Me
dina courty this week testing addi-
tional herds for tuberculosis.
The results Of the herds tested last
Y week are as follows: R. E. Lance,
8 head tested, no reactors; F. D.
Koons, Al head tested, 5 reactors /;
Carl Abbott, 8 head tested, 6 reac-
tors.
The reactors have already been
sseparated. from the rest Of the herd
and will be disposed Of at once.
Or. Gillen is enthusiastic in his
advocacy Of the tuberculin test, and
has much Of interest to say concern
ne its importance, particularly with
reference to the danger Of infection
Ii a children by bovine tuberculosis,
4 md the means Of prevention Of its
spread. DR.. Giller says:
While the percentage Of infection
n mature persons from cattle is
quite low, Investigations have, shown
that not only is there great danger
of children contracting bovine tuber-
culosis, but that in some localities
i considerable percent Of the. chill
dren who die from the disease suf-
fer from the bovine type Of infection.
The many cases where the patients
Al not actually die, but are pernaant7
emily handicapped thruout the re.
nainder Of their lives by such infec-
ton, cannot be estimated.
"We are able then to easily see
that the need for control measures
for checking tuberculosis spread is
imperative. Recent legislation makes
II possible for us to progress more
rapidly with the cleaning-up of herds
which are source of milk supplies
to cities and towns than was possible
when each place that needed tuber-
culosis eradication work had to wait
its turn.
Good business methods and care
n full persistent work by competent
men. are among the things that will
bring about the successful control OF
the disease if the support giveri gen.
orally by livestock owners continues.
The simple fact that an average Of
from eight to nine per cent Of the
animals tested react to the treatment
Ills sufficient argument why the work
should be carried forward as rapidly
as possible.
"All- herds, both grade and pure
n bred, should be taken care of soon
\ ard it is good business to clean up as
soon as possible the herds that are
used as a source of adding animals
to other herds for breeding and dairy
purposes. Animals from the aver
age grade herd go to market either
directly or indirectly on being taken
out of the herd ard are, therefore
the least responsible for new centers
\ of infection. Animals from pure.
bred herds, however, usually o into
other herds when sold and if they
are diseased they will, in most cases
start new centers Of infection if their
companions in the new homes are moi
already infected.
1T would be folly to attempt tx
eradicate tuberculosis at one end o1
the live stock business and permit {
continuous spread at the other end
The first precautiona then, should bt
the prevention of further spread. II
fact, If the disease could be restricted
n to the individual. animals at present
infected, the disease would be prac
tically controlled after period o.
eight or ten years, as, most of the
diseased animals would be slaughter
led by that time.
eThe best methods Known are be
ing used in the control work, and
while they are not perfect in every
way, the rapid extension Of the dis
ease during recent years indicates
that an improved method Mhicl
might be discovered in the future
would more than lose its advantag,
because Of the greater prevalence .;
The disease resulting from waiting
The work that has been taken up II
this connection cannot be accomplish
"a n ! short time. Y