The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-10-16
Vermont Doctors Discuss
Bovine Z. B. Eradication


nexer attempted to secure from the leg |
islature a larger appropriation for the |
treatment OF the human type of tuber |
culosis in Vermont. DIR. Rogers thought |
that was the first step which the society
should take.
rum. expressed some of his ideas on the
subject, the burden of his remarks being
that it was not policy for the Vermont
DR.. Rogers for the Dervan resolution
was laid on the table by practically
unanimous vote. and the following reso-
luton, presented by DIR. Rogers was
unanimously adopted by the meeting,
after being heartily seconded by DIR. Co
burn:
Resolved. that it be the sense of the
Vermont State Medical society that the
problems of tuberculosis in the state be
very carefully studied and. if necessary,
more money voted for the tuberculosis
work, both for educational purposes and
for the institutional treatment"
This concluded the meeting.
The Original Papers.
The whole bovine tuberculosis matter
was brought up in connection with two
papers on the morning program. namely
Bovine tuberculosis, by f.. G. Schroeder,
superintendent of the experiment sta
ton of the federal bureau of animal in
dustry, and The Bovine Tubercle Bacil-
lus in Human tuberculosis. by DIR. l.. u.
Gardner, Saranac Lake. y. Y. Follow
ing the reading of these papers, there
was a brief discussion of the subject by
three physicians whose names We're men
! toned on the program, Doctors j. y.
JENNIE of Burlington. j. 1t. Woodruff of
Barre and II. \. Ladd of Burlington.
DR. JENNIE said that the fight for
cleaning up the bovine tuberculosis in
the state had been started by another
department than the medical profession
H. 10 or Iral- VOL haf
the medical profession take stand against
the eradication movement.
DR. Woodruff said that bovine tuber-
culosis has been practically eradicated
| from the city of Barre through continual
| tests. The first test showed 24.7 per
cent of cattle infected; the second test
90 per cent: the third test 1.6 per cent;
and the last test, which is not yet en-
| tirely completed. has shown seven-tenths
| of one per cent. DIR. Woodruff thought
! this showed good results and that the
( fight was worth continuing. even from
| the economic standpoint alone. If more
money is needed TO take care of human
| tuberculosis patients, the thing to do is
| to go and ask for it, without reference
to the bovine eradication work.
| DIR. Ladd maintained that none of us
want to furnish the babies for the tn
| bercle bacilli TO work upon"
DIR. DeFossett Speaks.
DR. A. ]. DeFossett, inspector in
charge of tuberculosis eradication in Yer
mont who was present at the meeting
was called upon to speak on the subject.
| He answered some of the criticisms
which had been made of his department.
/ He said that the state accredited herds
plan had been adopted in Vermont so
that cattle tested here would be recog-
I niZed as clean in other states.
! The state department Is very mucn IN
| harmony with area testing, DIR. DeFos-
| Sett said, IL il can be successfully car
| ried out. But il must have the whole
4 hearted support of every farmer in order
! to be successful. The department has
| no authority to compel farmer TO nave
| his cattle tested, SO it has to depend upon
an educational program TO convert farm
| ers to the program and test the cattle
of those who want them tested as rapidly
as possible.
| DR.. DeFossett thought, however, that
an enabling act passed by the next leg
| islature to use part of the appropriation
| for zone work only, and part for such
| individual cases as the department
! thought best, would work out to general
| advantage.
In answer to questions DIR. DeFossett
said that of the cattle which react to the
| tuberculin test, all but about five per
| cent show visible tuberculosis when
| slaughtered OF this five per cent, many
| show reaction to careful analysis of or
| cams, while some. which may not show
definite signs of the disease, may have
tuberculosis of the joints, which is hard
| % analyze.
Neat Sold for Food.
| Questioned by DIR. Dervan as to what
| percentage of reactors in Vermont are
sold for food after being slaughtered,
| DR.. DeFossett said that about go to so
/ per cent were thus sold. Asked if the
| retailers tagged this meat which was
| thus sold DIR. DeFossett said that they
do not, that the meat is given a close
federal inspection and that that part
| which is passed by the inspectors is sold
| for food.
In further explanation of this matter,
| DR.. Schroeder explained that while tu-
| berculous cattle are considered danger
| Gus to health because of the milk which
| they give, used mostly for small children,
yet this does not necessarily mean that
! their meat is dangerous. Only the parts
| Immediately affected. he said, would be
| considered dangerous for eating pur-
| poses especially after cooking.
| DIR. Schroeder said that when the tu-
| beTculin test is made for the first time,
the reliability is practically 100 per
| cent When it is continued, it becomes
less reliable. But when a cow once re-
acts to the tuberculin test, it must al
| ways be considered as a tuberculin COW,
DR.. Schroeder declared.