APPENDIX R 



TUBERCULOSIS IN LONDON COWSHEDS 



In addition to the returns appearing on p. 213, Mr Shaw, F.R.C.V.S., 

 Veterinary Inspector to the London County Council, has also made two 

 separate investigations as to the degree of tuberculosis present in London cows. 

 The first, in 1 898, was an examination, by tuberculin, of 73 cows selected haphazard 

 in six different metropolitan cowsheds. Sixteen or 20-5 per cent, of these cows 

 reacted to the tuberculin, and were therefore judged to be suifering from 

 tuberculosis. In only 2 of these 16 cows was there any clinical sign of disease, 

 the others appeared to be healthy. It should be added that in one shed 44 per 

 cent, of the cows were tuberculous, in another 36 per cent, were tuberculous, and 

 in two sheds (28 cows) there were no cases of tuberculosis. 



The second investigation made by Mr Shaw was at Colney Hatch Asylum 

 in July 1900, when he tested 53 cows with tuberculin. Ten, or i8-8 per cent, 

 of them were found to be tuberculous. If these returns are compared with 

 results obtained in connection with the milk supply of Manchester or Liverpool, 

 it will be found that London cows appear to suffer less from tuberculosis than 

 cows in the country. The reasons for this are three : First, good class animals 

 come to the London cowsheds, because the owners have to send them to the 

 butcher when dry, and, therefore, inferior animals are a poor investment. 

 Secondly, there is a very regular and thorough inspection by the veterinary 

 inspector of the London County Council. Thirdly, there is no inbreeding. 

 Consequently, general tuberculosis, which probably affects 30 per cent, of 

 milch cows in the country (McFadyean, Lloyd, Delepine, etc.), only affects 

 20 per cent, in London, and whereas 2 per cent, of country cows have tuber- 

 culosis of the udder, only 0-02 per cent, of London cows suffer in the same way. 



TUBERCULOSIS IN MANCHESTER AND LIVERPOOL 

 COWSHEDS 



Manchester. — In 1902, 5649 inspections of cows were made in Manchester 

 (which means that many cows were examined more than once), and no case of 

 tuberculous udder was found. In two cases, however, there was clinical 

 evidence of generalised tuberculosis, and the cows were slaughtered. 



In 1902, 420 samples were taken at the various Manchester railway stations 

 from 345 farmers sending milk in from the country. Of these 345 farmers — 



196 resided in Cheshire, of whom 25 sent tuberculous milk = 1272 per cent. 



104 „ Derbyshire, „ 9 » » = 8-65 „ 



25 „ Staffordshire, „ i „ „ = 4-01 „ 



12 „ Lancashire, „ i „ „ = 8-3I „ 



3 „ Shropshire, „ o „ „ = o-oo „ 



92 



