MEASURES AGAINST BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS. 67 



no tuberculosis was known among Japanese cattle until the 

 introduction of foreign stock about thirty-five years ago. 



Present status of controversy . That tuberculosis may be 

 transmitted from cattle to the human being, is an accepted fact 

 not even denied by Koch. The differences of opinion concern 

 the extent to which it occurs, and these in turn depend upon 

 the conception of the characters that may be accepted as defin- 

 ing an organism of bovine origin. On the whole, the belief is 

 that tuberculosis in cattle constitutes a minor source of tuber- 

 culosis in man. 



Protection of the milk supply. The situation warrants the 

 enforcement of firm, effective measures for the protection of the 

 milk supply. The proven facts excite both disgust and appre- 

 hension on the part of the consumer. To correct such condi- 

 tions is a very legitimate function of food inspection service. 

 No question is raised as to the propriety of condemning car- 

 casses for generalized tuberculosis, even though most meat is 

 practically safe when cooked. The ground for condemnation 

 is the abhorrence and fear of consuming infectious tubercular 

 material. The same undesirable qualities are pos.sessed by 

 milk of tubercular cows, only worse, for it is not the practice 

 to cook milk. 



Certain physicians show a tendency to avoid agitation con- 

 cerning cattle, the minor source of tuberculosis, for fear of dis- 

 tracting popular attention from the main source of infection — 

 tubercular human beings. This, perhaps, is justifiable in so 

 far as the attitude relates to the spending of money. There is 

 no qiaestion but that money for fighting tuberculosis of man 

 could be more profitably spent than in attempts to eradicate 

 tuberculosis of cattle by slaughtering animals and indemnifying 

 the owners. This is an economic matter primarily. 



Measures against bovine' tuberculosis. A number of circum- 

 stances combine to make it most difficult to protect effectually 

 the milk supply from the germs of tuberculosis. The wide 

 prevalence of tuberculosis among cattle raises obstacles in the 

 way of expense incurred to the dairymen. A great many 

 attempts have been made to control the disease both in the 

 interest of the public health and as a purely economic measure. 



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