AN IMMEDIATE DUTY 3O9 



It is sufficiently established, by the post-mortem test 

 following the tuberculin test, in Denmark, in France, in 

 the United States, as well as in this country, that the 

 chances of error in the application of the test are very 

 small, and that some of the cases when it has appar- 

 ently failed are due to insufficiently exact and compre- 

 hensive searching of the tissues where the disease 

 may be, in all probability, lurking. This being so, to 

 promptly ascertain their own position would be a great 

 gain to practical farmers. 



In the vast majority of cases, farmers applying the 

 test with care and knowledge, will at once be able to 

 isolate the diseased cattle or cows, purify their dairies, 

 and fatten and sell off the very slightly diseased animals, 

 before the disease has ruined their selling value. This 

 policy will reduce to a minimum the losses which many 

 men, under such circumstances, are doubtless reluctant 

 to face. And the successful results attained in Den- 

 mark, and in such experiments as those of Sir T. D. 

 Gibson-Carmichael, give every reason for the encourag- 

 ing hope, that, with skill and persistence, under favour- 

 able conditions, as regards the arrangements of buildings 

 and of pastures for purposes of isolation, farmers will 

 find in a few years that they will have worked the 

 disease out of their stock, to their lasting advantage as 

 well as to the advantage of the whole community. 



On these and other grounds, I submit that pending 

 the adoption of any definitive policy of dealing with 

 tuberculosis which may result from the recommendations 

 of the Special Commission which is now inquiring into 

 this question, it is expedient that, without further 

 delay, the Board of Agriculture should forthwith take 

 steps — 



(i.) To disseminate accurate information in a concise 

 and readable form as to the methods and results 

 oLthe attempts to deal with tuberculosis made 

 by the Danish, French, and other Governments ; 

 (ii.) To establish one or more stations where tuber- 

 culin of guaranteed and uniform quality can be 



