STATE HYGIENE 581 



in future, as it is one of the pillars of eradication of 

 epizootic diseases. 



The relations of tuberculosis to meat and milk supply 

 will be found dealt with in the chapter on Municipal Hygiene. 



Occasionally persons are met who are really anxious to 

 free their herd from tuberculosis, and to whom the cost is not 

 a matter of great importance. In such cases tuberculin is 

 invaluable, with destruction of all those that react. It 

 need not be supposed that the flesh of those destroyed is 

 unfit for food, only the diseased portions need be dealt 

 with, excepting in the case of generalized tuberculosis, 

 when the whole carcase should be destroyed. The sale of 

 the meat is therefore an asset to be considered. 



In the case of dairy stock the loss of milk would be a far 

 more serious financial question, though even this would be 

 to an extent provided against by dealing only with those 

 cows that are dry and prepared for the butcher, and 

 isolating those in milk until a suitable time arrived for 

 dealing with them. 



With the entire destruction of reactors must follow the 

 thorough disinfection of the buildings occupied by the 

 cattle, so as to kill any bacilli left behind. In replacing 

 the stock the greatest care must be taken that none are 

 admitted until they had been quarantined and tested with 

 tuberculin. 



Working on these lines Delepine* cleared out the 

 infected stock from a small private herd at a cost of about 

 £5 a head. The Cheshire County Council in a somewhat 

 similar experiment carried it out at a cost of =£5 16s. a 

 head. 



Delepine, in the paper quoted, shows how desirable it is 

 if herds are to be kept free and to avoid unnecessary 

 pecuniary loss, that the condition of the dairy stock should 

 be ascertained before they are three years old, and there- 

 fore before they become an important source of income. In 

 the above cases the loss on the capital of animals destroyed 



* Professor Delepine : ' The Stamping out of Tuberculosis,' Journal 

 of Comparative Pathology, vol. xiv., No. 3, 1901. 



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