488 BOARD OF AGKICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



from meat is really more from bacilli that may be smeared 

 upon its surface from butcher knives that may have come in 

 contact with tuberculous lesions or infected lymphatic 

 glands than from the flesh itself, as it is doubtful if the 

 muscles ever contain the germs of tuberculosis ; but, even 

 if the bovine tubercle bacilli were harmless to the human 

 race, it is not a pleasant thought to contemplate using the 

 milk and meat of animals affected with a disgusting and 

 loathsome disease as food for the people of an intelligent, 

 educated and civilized community. 



Considered from a public health point of view, the local 

 inspection work would seem to be sufficient for its protection 

 at the present time, if done in an intelligent and painstaking 

 manner. This is an important work, and on general prin- 

 ciples, if for no other reason, it would not seem to be advis- 

 able to keep these advanced cases, or cases of tuberculosis 

 of the udder, in the dairy. In fact cows with nodulated 

 udders should be considered as unfit animals for milk pro- 

 duction, as such udders, when not tuberculous, may be 

 infected with actinomycosis or pus-producing bacteria, either 

 of which should be looked upon as dangerous. 



In this direction the local inspectors seem to have been 

 doing good work, judging from the smaller proportion of 

 cases of advanced generalized tuberculosis that have been 

 found during the year, as compared with previous years. 



In removing the animals that are quarantined by the local 

 inspectors year after year, picked out as diseased on physical 

 examination, there is no advance to speak of in diminishing 

 the prevalence of tuberculosis among cattle, as a crop of 

 slightly diseased ones are left behind, which in time may 

 develop the disease, so that the succeeding year an equal 

 number will be condemned ; and this may be carried on year 

 after year, to infinity, unless something more than this is 

 done. 



This may be accomplished in various ways : first, our 

 cattle owners must be educated to pay more attention to the 

 sanitary surroundings of their stock ; they should be taught, 

 if possible, to keep only healthy animals under the most 

 healthful surroundings. Those who take pride in their 

 cattle should strive to keep a herd that will not react to the 



