Report of State Veterinarian. 51 



TUBERCULOSIS. 



During the past year the tuberculin test was administered to 

 30 herds of cattle, in six of which tuberculosis was found. A total 

 of 702 head of cattle were tested, of which 32 head, or 4.5 per cent, 

 were found diseased. In all cases the accuracy of the test was 

 verified by post-mortem examinations. The herds tested were well 

 distributed over the State. Within the last year cattle affected with 

 tuberculosis, shown by post-mortem examination, were received at 

 the public markets from Windsor, Bronaugh, Sturgeon, Hallsville, 

 Lebanon and Columbia. Hogs diseased with tuberculosis were re- 

 ceived at the public markets from Westboro, Tarkio, Iantha, Clear- 

 mont, Wayland, Raymore, Mosby, Skidmore, Boonville, Center- 

 view, Garden City and Centralia. As a rule, hogs and cattle, after 

 being purchased by the packers, are lost trace of, and it is only in 

 rare cases that accurate information concerning the point of origin 

 of diseased stuff can be definitely ascertained. The number of cases 

 reported to this office must, therefore, be only a small per cent of 

 the total number of shipments of diseased hogs and cattle from 

 this State. The results of the inspection of herds over different 

 parts of the State and the receipt of so much tuberculous stock at 

 the public markets shows tuberculosis to be prevalent over the 

 State. The number of cattle and hogs found diseased with tuber- 

 culosis last year, both by the test and in the meat inspection, was 

 so much greater than in previous years as to indicate a rapid 

 spread of this disease. 



Among the cattle tested during the last five years, individuals 

 diseased with tuberculosis were found coming direct from six 

 prominent registered herds of this State. Diseased individuals 

 were traced directly to as many prominent registered herds in 

 other states. Very few of the breeders of registered herds have, 

 up to this time, taken any effective precaution to prevent the in- 

 troduction of tuberculous cattle into their herds. The tuberculin 

 test, the only accurate means of ascertaining whether or not an 

 animal is diseased with tuberculosis, has been neglected almost al- 

 together. But one result could possibly follow, viz. : All perma- 

 nent herds, to which individual animals are added from time to 

 time, have been left open to infection, and many of them have 

 actually become infected. These herds, in turn, send out breed- 

 ing animals to be used in improving scrub herds, which, in many 



