STATE HYGIENE 635 



The position of the veterinary profession relative to this 

 question is very simple ; we deny the existence of a cow 

 disease giving rise to scarlet fever, diphtheria, and enteric, 

 and state that whenever the above diseases follow in the 

 trail of the milk-pail, it is always due to the infection of the 

 milk from human source. 



On this point it is outside our province to enter any 

 further ; the innumerable sources of milk infection through 

 human agency are very manifest to those who know any- 

 thing of the mode of milk collection and supply, and should 

 be recognised by every medical man. If our drinking-water 

 had to be drawn from an animal and delivered to us at the 

 door after passing through a score of hands, it would be a 

 more fruitful source of trouble than at present. 



The veterinary profession fully recognises the gravity of 

 milk as a medium of infection, but on unassailable grounds 

 it refuses to believe that this is due to anything more than 

 human agency. 



SECTION II.—INSUBANCE OF ANIMALS. 



Frequent reference has been made in these pages to the 

 question of compensation for certain animal diseases, such 

 as the State is expected to furnish, especially when a man's 

 property is destroyed for the public good. By means of 

 compensation diseases like cattle plague, pleuro-pneumonia, 

 and foot and mouth disease have been abolished from this 

 country, and none can doubt that the money was well 

 invested in getting rid of these scourges. Compensation 

 has not, however, abolished swine fever, for it may be laid 

 down as an axiom that it is no use attempting compensa- 

 tion, excepting the stamping out machinery be perfect, other- 

 wise it is a waste of public money. 



That compensation for swine fever would have succeeded 

 in attaining these results no thoughtful person will deny, 

 had it been accompanied by a rigid, perhaps even aggressive, 

 certainly ruthless policy, such as the State has a right to 



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