124 Bulletin 250. 



cultural Experiment Station,* at the New York Agricultural 

 Experiment Station (Geneva) f and by several private cattle owners. 

 The Hon. W. E. Edwards, of Rockland, Ontario, Canada, used it in the 

 handling of his valuable herd. In 1903. at the meeting of the American 

 Veterinary Medical Association, he read a forceful paper!]: on his 

 experience with the method, a few lines of which I quote : " The 

 question arises, can tuberculosis, one of the most constant diseases 

 present in our animals, be eradicated? My answer is, yes, most em- 

 phatically. I am fully convinced of the reasonable possibility of the 

 eradication of tuberculosis from our herds and of the maintenance of 

 sound herds." 



It is not the purpose of the Bang method to return to the sound herd 

 animals that have reacted, but which, after a period of one or more years, 

 fail to react. Experience has shown that a variable number of reacting 

 animals will remain apparently in a sound condition. The method has 

 two redeeming features : first, it requires the elimination of cattle that 

 have no real value because of the advanced stage of the disease ; and, 

 secondly, it enables the owner to obtain the actual worth of the others. 

 Its success has been possible because of the great value of tuberculin in 

 detecting the infected animals that still appear to be in perfect health 

 and in which the disease has just begun. 



The success that has come from the application of the Bang method, 

 in Europe and in many herds in this country, warrants its recommenda- 

 tion to those who have valuable animals infected. There may be modi- 

 fications and changes necessary to make it fit the conditions, but these 

 are in harmony with the procedure. Professor Bang encountered much 

 tuberculosis in the cattle of Denmark, and by the persistent application of 

 conservative methods the disease has been reduced in a few years to 

 such an extent that it is no longer a burden or a menace to the people. 



Although the law in this State is based on the theory of eradication 

 by slaughter of infected animals, the Commissioner of Agriculture is 

 willing to allow any owner of a tuberculous herd tested by the State to 

 adopt the Bang method instead of having the reacting animals destroyed. 

 This is of great value, especially to the owners of valuable herds. 



In the control of tuberculosis, it is well not to forget that it is a per- 

 sonal matter, and that prompt and active efforts to eliminate the disease 

 should be put forth by all those who have infected herds. Each man 

 should be master over the diseases that may threaten his herd. 



*Russell, U. L. The history of a tuberculous herd of cows. Wis. Agr. Exp. 

 Sta., Bull. 78, 1899. 



.tHarding, H. A.; Smith, G. A.; Aloore. V. A. The Bang method of con- 

 trolling tuberculosis, with an illustration of its application. Bull. No. 277. N. Y. 

 Agr. Exp. Sta., Geneva, N. Y., 1896. 



J Edwards, Hon. W. E. The Bang system for the eradication of tuberculosis 

 in cattle. Proceedings of the Am. Vet. Med. Asso. 1903, p. 124. 



