136 ANNUAL REPORT OP THE Off. Doc. 



is necessary for propeily handliug the milk and making butter. If 

 such work were officially authorized, under certain prescribed condi- 

 tions, and were controlled by frequent inspections, it would seem 

 that it might be carried out in a perfectly safe, unobjectionable 

 way, with the result that considerable saving could be effected. It 

 is not likely that any one would care to use any but selected animals 

 in this way. There are, however, some cows in the earliest stages 

 of tuberculosis that are of great value as milk producers and that, 

 still more important, are of great value for breeding purposes. By 

 gathering such cows together so that they could be cared for under 

 such conditions as may be necessary to prevent harm, they could be 

 used profitably and their progeny could be saved. 



It has been shown by the Danish work, covering a series of many 

 years ,that the calves of cows in the early stages of tuberculosis are 

 born healthy and may be reared in health if they are removed from 

 their dams immediately after birth and are fed milk from healthy 

 cows or pasteurized milk from tubercular cows. If a plan such as 

 this could be put into operation, I would suggest that it be done 

 only under a system providing for the licensing of farms and of 

 men. The licenses should be granted only when it is clear that 

 the work could be done in a perfectly safe way so far as it concerns 

 both the public health and the live stock industry. The licenses 

 should be subject to withdrawal at any time that it becomes evident 

 that the established conditions were not fully complied with. If 

 a number of farms of this character were licensed in different parts 

 of the State, the effect would be to make a market for cows in the 

 early stages of tuberculosis, and this would encourage the testing 

 of herds and the removal of such cows from contact with healthy 

 cattle. At present, there is no means of disposing of these animals 

 excepting by slaughter. As their value is often very much more 

 than the amount that can be obtained either by turning them into 

 beef or by disposing of them under appraisal to the State, some 

 owners hesitate to dispose of them. In consequence, infected cattle 

 are permitted to keep up the infection in herds. 



There appears to be no room for discussion upon the principle 

 that if an outlet can be provided for such cattle, that is of such 

 character that owners will be encouraged to dispose of cattle 

 through it, and which at the same time will be open to no valid 

 objections, it will be desirable to establish such an arrangement. If 

 tubercular and tubercle bacilli distributing cows could be gathered 

 from thousands of herds in whidi they are now members into a com- 

 paratively small number of licensed herds, where they could be 

 kept under such supervision and control as would be necessary, as 

 could readily be established, it would seem to be desirable from 

 every standpoint. Of course, these cows might be killed and paid 



