362 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



per cent reacting. This marked reduction speaks well for the tuber- 

 culin test and the other measures mentioned. 



In Norway, in 1895, two thousand herds were tested, containing 

 25,000 or more cattle, and 27 per cent of the herds and 8.3 per cent of 

 the cattle were diseased. Seven years later over 22,000 cattle were tested 

 and only 11.5 per cent of the herds and 3.5 per cent of the cattle re- 

 acted to the tuberculin test. 



In Sweden, in 1897, 70 per cent of the herds that were tested were 

 found to be diseased ; and 32 per cent of the cattle reacted to the tuber- 

 culin test. Five years later there had been a reduction of 55 per cent of 

 tuberculous herds and 4.8 per cent of tuberculous cattle in the herds 

 tested, a total of 30,000 cattle being examined. 



The somewhat isolated position of these countries, and the fact that 

 they rear at home most of the dairy stock, instead of importing, are cir- 

 cumstances which have aided in securing the good results mentioned. 



In contrast to the results mentioned, let us look at the condition in 

 some parts of Germany. In that country tuberculin is not so generally 

 used as in Denmark, and a large percentage of the dairymen purchase 

 ^heir cows instead of raising them. According to Prof. Klimmer of 

 Dresden, from whose address most of the facts here given are taken, 

 there is a gradual increase in tuberculosis in Saxony ; from the year 

 1896 to 1903, an increase of 4^ per cent. He is convinced from his own 

 observations that fully two-thirds of the cattle of Saxony are tuber- 

 culous. He reports 79 per cent of reacting cattle in eight herds aggre- 

 gating 259 animals, and belonging to a progressive breeder, who had 

 supplied his animals the best hygienic conditions, but had neglected the 

 tuberculiK test. On another farm he found 80 per cent of the three- 

 year old cattle infected, and of those under three years old, 67 per cent. 

 On this farm, too, an attempt to carry out what is called the "Ostertag 

 method" of exterminating tuberculosis (from Prof. Ostertag, Berlin,) 

 had been in operation for five years. This method permits, but does 

 not require the tuberculin test ; but relies upon the ordinary clinical 

 methods of diagnosis, supplemented by microscopical examination of the 

 milk. If these methods do not reveal the disease, the cow is not con- 

 sidered dangerous to neighboring cows, even though she should react 

 to tuberculin. Thus it is seen that a diseased animal may be kept in 

 service along with healthy ones unless there is ocular evidence that she 

 is casting off tubercle germs from the lungs by coughing, or from a 

 diseased udder through the milk. The case reported by Prof. Klim- 

 mer demonstrates the inefficiency of this method of eradicatins' tuber- 



