The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1921-12-09
TUBERCULIN TEST ACCURACY

1t is not uncommon to find live
stock men who dispute the accurac
| of the tuberculin test and deny tn
practicability Of it.
We do believe the rule is that tn
! test errs oftener in letting tubercula
cows by than by condemning cow
that are free from the disease and
also, we are inclined to believe tina
local veterinarians often err in tn
same manner.
But, let us concede that all of thi
is true and even then the tuberculii
test commends itself to the regula
use of every livestock man.
1t is the only thing we have tina
will protect our herds of hogs ant
cattle, our focks of chickens ant
our children.
Far better be it that we'll COW
be sacrificed occasionally than tha
the dreadful disease be permitted tt
spread in its characteristic way ano
eventually rob us of our entire herds
and send our children and those OF
our neighbors to untimely graves.
A breeder of purebred cattle moi
many miles from here has long doubt
ed the accuracy of the test. He ha:
spent a dozen years that we know Of
breeding up his herd. He has no.
tested because he did not believe il
the test.
Recently he applied for admission
into the accredited herd list; his hero
was tested last week. There were as
head and Al of them reacted and Il
of them when posted were so dis
eased that they were tanked.
Only one small calf remains as &
monument to dozen years of effort
on the part of a man who should
have been a good breeder and, ne
doubt, would have been had it MOI
been for that characteristic which
impels him to doubt the theories Of
scientists who devote their lives t.
the welfare of all of us.
Yes, after all, it is better to sacri
flee a healthy cow once in awhile thar
to take a chance on keeping a dis
eased one in the herd that may event
ually so spread the germs of tuber
culosis that our lifetime of thought
study and effort may be wiped out.
Worse yet: AS we write, there
lies before us an authentic report OF
a palpable crime. The headlines state
in glaring funeral black letters
Give Children Contract Tuberculosi:
from Milk of Infected Cow"
A farmer had his herd tested. One
cow reacted He doubted the &C.
curacy of the test, but protected the
the remainder of his own herd in
an INSCRIPTIONS way; he removed the
ear tag and sold the cow to his hired
man who kept her for family cow
There were seven children in the
hired mans family, five of which
together with pig and a cat, drank
milk. These all contacted pronounc.
ed cases of tuberculosis. A warrant
has been issued for the original owner
and it is stated, should one of the
children die, he will be subject to g
charge of manslaughter.
Surely, this is another instance
where it would have been well to have
accepted the decision of science anc
to have taken the chance of sacri.
ficing one condemned cow rather
than to have taken the chance of wip.
ing out healthy family of children
Thus the consequences of those
who rebel against the tuberculin test
are revealed which the following
bears evidence that breeders, dairy.
men and farmers in large numbers
are cooperating commercially with
Federal and State governments in
strenuous efforts to eradicate tuber'
culosis where the test signifies its
presence.
Progress of Tuberculosis Eradication
AS stated some time ago, the in.
terest in the eradication of bovine
tuberculosis is now so great that diff
ficulty has been met in securing suf
ficient state and government funds.
The summary of work done in
August, as reported by the Bureau
of Animal Industry, shows 1 ,374, Ice
cattle under supervision and 222 ,34E
on the waiting list. The accredited
list now contains 216,341 animals an6
I'll, 874 others with one clean test.
Few oppose the tuberculin test once
they are convinced it is to be done
by reliable and trustworthy men
Some Iowa farmers whose herds were
practically wiped out by the test re-
Gently stated they were glad they
had cleared away the diseased ami
mails. Now they can build herd on
a sound health foundation.-zFrom
Dairy Farmer, Oct. Is.