The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-06-23
COW TUBERCULOSIS
is COMMUNICABLE
Federal Official Thinks More Children
Killed By 1t Than Realized
More Veterinarians.

BOSTON, June 23-The danger of in
lection of persons by bovine tuberculo-
sisiwas emphasized at the opening yester-
day in the state house of three-days'
conference on eradication of tuberculosis
in animals, which has called together
federal and state forces cooperating in
the work in New England, the Massachu-
sets division of animal industry, the
Massachusetts veterinary association and
representatives of the livestock interests.
DIR. Arthur w. Gilbert, state commits
sioner of agriculture, said Massachusetts
spends 81 100000 annually on tubercu-
losis patients, yet the people are not
awake to an important source and cause
of disease and the legislature has failed
to appropriate sufficient money to carry
on the work of eradication in cattle.
DIR. j. a. Herman. chief of the tuber-
culosis eradication divisionF of the fed
eral bureau of animal industry, said tu-
berculosis is frequently found in per-
sons on farms where bovine tuberculosis
is prevalent and preventive measures
must be taken in the care of animals If
the health of the people of this country
| is to be properly protected.
Referring TO the transmissability of boz
vine tuberculosis, Dr. Herman said
Bovine tuberculosis may be commune
Gated to man. This is an undisputed
| fact, and has been since the cause of the
disease was determined. 1t has been
shown that the human and animal types
cannot be entirely different, because IN
| all the tuberculin testing of cattle by
| the bureau of animal industry, amount
I ing to more than 100000 cattle each
month, the diseased animals respond to
| tuberculin produced from human origin.
The scientific investigations made by
the various commissions and private
workers established beyond cavil that
among children a considerable percent
~ nf flfrn fn ha fT
| probably introduced by consuming the
milk of tuberculouS cows.
| while there is no definite knowledge
of the percentage of bovine tuberculosis
| found in children, on autopsy there IS
much more evidence to lead us to believe
that this type of the disease is more prey
alent than has heretofore been revealed.
New York Records.
He then stated that out of III cases
| of tuberculosis investigated from chill
dren from FIVE to Is years of age in New
York, 131 were found to be due to human
| infection and 46 to bovine. Among chill
dren under FIVE years Of age 36S cases
We're investigated of which 292 We're
| found to be infected with the human type
| of bacillus and 76 were the bovine type.
Tuberculosis of the cervical glands III
children has been found to owe its origin
| to bovine tuberculosis bacili and about
( 40 per cent of the infections and tuber-
culOSs of the mesenteric glands of chill
drcn, has been traced to the same type OF
! organism in about the same proportions
| of cases.
Bovine tuberculosis is communicable
| to human beings and it matters little
the percentage to which the disease is
! transmissible If only a few children be
came tuberculous from consuming milb
J infected with tubercular baeilH. it is the
| duty of society TO prevent the diStribu'
! ton of the disease to that extent"
DR. Herman advocated the enlarge
| ment of veterinarian forces to aid in the
eradication work and said Massachusetts
should have % inspectors, Maine 30, New
| Hampshire IA. Vermont II, Rhode Is
| land 1, and Connecticut 21,