THIRTY-FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION. 105 



time, a healthy herd can be built up from a diseased one. This 

 is done by taking the calves from the diseased cows just as soon 

 as they are born and placing them with cows known to be free 

 from tuberculosis. 



It is well known that ninety-nine per cent of such calves are 

 free from the disease at birth. The milk from the diseased 

 cows may be used for any purpose if it is well pasteurized. 

 Either of these methods is good, provided the owner wishes to 

 have his cattle tested, and then will either slaughter or separate 

 the affected ones from the herd. When he wishes this done, he 

 will follow your advice, and you will not only succeed in eradi- 

 cating the disease, but also in keeping it out afterwards. 



To illustrate once more: Ten years ago all the state herds 

 were tested for tuberculosis ; many of the reacting animals were 

 slaughtered and buried. Nine years after (or one year ago) I 

 tested them again. At Quincy, 111., where the Old Soldiers' 

 Home is located, I only found one cow diseased, and she only 

 slightly, in a herd of 87; at Joliet, none; at Chester (the peni- 

 tentiary), one; at the Hospital for the Insane, none. At Jack- 

 sonville, there are three hospitals, one for the insane, one a school 

 for the deaf and dumb, and a school and hospital for the blind. 

 In the first there were 84 cows all free, but a bull, purchased a 

 few months before, reacted. At the school for the deaf and 

 dumb there were 77 cows, three reacted. At the school for the 

 blind, there were 20 cows, all free. At some of the other places, 

 where they did not heed the advice that was given them, we 

 found their herds in a deplorable condition. What does this 

 teach us? It teaches that tuberculosis will find its way into a 

 herd of cattle unobserved, and great damage will be wrought 

 before it is discovered — all on account of its insidious invasion, 

 and slow development. On the other hand, it is a disease easy 

 to get rid of when you are once free from it. 



I would recommend that the tuberculin test be given to all 

 cattle whose owners are in a proper frame of mind to follow 

 good advice. On the other hand, if the owner is not in such a 

 way of thinking, then it would be useless to conduct tests. It 



