Report of State Veteriyiarian. 65 



If the State stands ready to answer all voluntary requests for 

 the tuberculin test and will provide an equitable method of dis- 

 posing of the cows that are found diseased, there is nothing to 

 hinder the rapid progress of eradication work. Immediately any 

 owner can feel safe in having his herd tested and rid of tubercu- 

 losis. Any city milk dealer can justly demand the test of all of 

 tlie herds from which he buys his milk. Any creamery in the 

 State can do the same thing in regard to herds from which it buys 

 cream. Any of the smaller cities of the State can have their dair- 

 ies cleared of tuberculosis by simply passing and enforcing an 

 ordinance requiring the test. There will be practically no opposi- 

 tion on the part of the dairymen to delay the work. Thus, test- 

 ing the dairy herds about one after another of the smaller cities 

 Oi the State, we can soon cover the whole State and have those 

 dairy herds free from tuberculosis. Taking the herds of one 

 creamery after another we can soon have all of these herds clear of 

 tuberculosis. Within a very short time we can test the herds selling 

 to one or more milk dealers in each of the larger cities and thereby 

 put milk from healthy cows in reach of all those citizens who are 

 interested in the matter. Working along these plans we will event- 

 ually cover the whole State at the least possible expense and with- 

 out stirring up the opposition which has delayed similar work in 

 older states to the end that in some of them it has already become 

 a hopeless task. 



SLAUGHTER HOUSES. 



There is still general lack of cleanliness and sanitation about 

 the slaughter houses in this State which are not under Federal in- 

 spection. There is nothing whatever to hinder slaughtering of 

 diseased animals for human food. The rigid inspection in the 

 plants under Federal supervision prevents the purchase of animals 

 that show evidence of disease for slaughter in such plants. The 

 buyers for these plants inform themselves as to the localities where 

 disease, especially tuberculosis, is prevalent. They try to avoid 

 the purchase of animals that show disease or come from badlv dis- 

 eased areas. The natural result is that the owners ot diseased 

 food animals will sell to butchers who are not under meat inspec- 

 tion. The most of the butchers avoid the diseased animal, but 

 there are enough unscrupulous butchers, who will slaughter them, 

 to make the uninspected meats of a very uncertain quality. Think- 

 ing people, especially those who are financially able to pay good 

 prices for meat, are rapidly drifting to the exclusive use of inspect- 



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