TUBERCULOSIS. 



developed stock to begin the battle for existence. The powerful milk 

 organs require a deal of feeding, and owing to this the body as a 

 whole must be sustained in healthy growth. If not, the power of 

 resistance will be considerably weakened, and the animal thus becomes 

 exposed to the risk of infection from the tubercle bacilli. 



To retain the good points of a herd an intensive in-breeding is often 

 resorted to, and is certainly necessary to a great extent. But where 

 our dairymen often make a mistake is in taking for granted a charac- 

 teristic for an absolute quality, viz., the wedge shape of the fore- 

 quarter of a dairy cow. Judges only too often look 'for the sharp, 

 thin shoulder as being a true sign of quality, forgetting that it is 

 merely the result of generations of high milk records on th_' part of 

 ancestors. 



As explained in another article on breeding, the wedge-shape of 

 the forequarter of a dairy cow is the result of the great energy that 

 has been forced into the stomach and udder, or the excessive use of 

 one part o>f the animal as against, or at the expense of, another. There- 

 fore, the very sharp shoulder is to be avoided as much as possible as 

 being in direct opposition to lung power, which should be cultivated. 

 It is here where change of climate and soil comes to the assistance 

 of those who are honestly endeavouring to arrive at a standard of 

 type by a system oi judicious consanguineous breeding. 



No doubt whatever, tuberculosis once established in a dairy herd 

 is a most serious trouble to be wrestled with and one that requires a 

 considerable amount of careful handling. On the other hand, 'far too 

 much fuss has been created by the action of intermeddling officials 

 who have had no practical experience among farm stock, especially 

 in connection with the milk and dairy produce trade. Nocard says : 

 : ' In my experience I have never found the milk virulent when the 

 udder was -free from tuberculosis lesions ; and, tuberculosis of the 

 udder is comparatively rare, for out of fifty-four cows which had been 

 seized for general tuberculosis, which I studied especially with this 

 object in view, only three had tuberculosis of the udder." No one 

 who has studied the literature ot tubercular disease would for a 

 moment doubt the honest sincerity and far-reaching influence of 

 Nocard's investigations. Yet he goes to show that when milk is 

 pooled, as is the case with herds, the influence of the bacilli is very 

 limited. He further adds: "(i.) That the miik of a tuberculous cow 

 is only virulent when the udder is the seat of tuberculous lesions. (2.) 

 That the infection of a virulent milk is only dangerous when the milk 

 contains a great number of bacilli and is infested in considerable quan- 

 tities. (3.) That practically the danger from infection of raw milk 

 r.niy exists for persons who use it as their sole or principal food ; 

 that is to say, for young children and certain invalids. (4.) That, to 

 avoid all danger, it is sufficient to bring the milk to a boil before it is 

 consumed." 



It has been alleged that the boiling of milk renders it indigestible, 

 and causes it to lose much of its nutritive value. This is absolutely 

 untrue. All doctors who have made a study of the question are now 

 agreed that children digest boiled milk just as well, if not better, than 

 raw milk. Moreover, the substitution of boiled milk for raw not only 

 has the advantage of abolishing ail danger from tuberculosis, but it 

 also has a marked effect in diminishing the number of deaths and ill- 

 ness due to intestinal affections which are so common during the 

 hot weather. It will thus be seen that every dairy farmer should pay 

 particular attention to the raising and feeding of his dairy stock by 

 the application of common sense rules of management. If fewer stock 

 were raised, and those few better tended and cared for, the outcry 

 about disease would cease. 



Dr. Schweinitz, writing on the serum treatment of tuberculosis with 

 anti-tuberculosis toxin, says : ; ' Although we occasionally find in the 



267. 



