DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 321 



Danger in Milk. It is plain that the only means we have to 

 insure a safe milk supply to consumers is the inspection of the 

 source of tin- milk the cow. The examination of the milk it- 

 self would be a farce, for the simple reason that the time required 

 for microscopical examination and chemical analyses of all milk 

 sold would make such tests utterly impossible and impracticable. 

 We need not fear intentional or criminal adulteration of milk by 

 the dairyman; he will add nothing harmful to human health; 

 it is the cow we must fear, and in order to make inspection of 

 benefit to humanity, the cow should be ascertained to be free 

 from consumption beyond all doubt. Happily for mankind, this 

 is being done all the world over with perfect success. The "tu- 

 berculin test" applied to the cows at regular intervals will enable 

 the disease to be kept out of the herd. People w r ho have had no 

 experience with tuberculin may talk against it and argue against 

 it, but their idle boasting, wild statements, and pretended knowl- 

 edge do not do away with the fact that tuberculin is a reliable 

 diagnostic for bovine (cattle) consumption, and has been proven 

 to be such in proper hands so invariably that all civilized gov- 

 ernments, including our own, employ it in their official work 

 in connection with consumption. 



Cattle consumption is a question that must come under State 

 supervision sooner or later. There can be no doubt of the con- 

 tagious and infectious nature of the disease, and hence the State 

 and local boards of health should have their powers enlarged to 

 be able to handle the question. There is no reason why con- 

 sumers of milk should continue to daily run the risk they now 

 do, when it is only necessary for the city council to pass an or- 

 dinance creating the office of dairy inspector, whose duty it 

 should be to test all cows in dairies supplying milk to consumers 

 and see that no milk is sold which does not come from cows 

 proven to be free from consumption. 



