114 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



premises immediately after the removal of the reacting 

 cattle. 



Do not feed any infected dairy products to swine or 

 young cattle. 



Retest the herd with tuberculin once a year. 



On the farms from which these animals come, some of 

 the remaining cattle and swine are probably affected with 

 tuberculosis, or will be if allowed to remain there for a suf- 

 ficient length of time. Knowing this danger, State and 

 Federal officials, when the identity of the animals can be 

 established, trace back as many of the shipments of dis- 

 eased animals as possible, and through the co-operation of 

 the owner try to exterminate the disease from that farm 



Cause of Tuberculosis. 



The direct and primary cause of tuberculosis is a rod- 

 shaped germ which can be seen only with the aid of a mi- 

 croscope of high magnifying power. The presence of this 

 germ in the bodies of human beings or live stock is abso- 

 lutely necessary to produce the disease. The germs of tu- 

 berculosis may also be grown artificially in proper material 

 at a temperature of about 98° F. 



Outside the bodies of animals the organism is not cap- 

 able of reproducing itself. When exposed to the direct 

 rays of the sun it dies quickly — a fact to be noted in the 

 disinfection of pastures, paddocks, and barn lots. The or- 

 ganism may live for months, however, when it is protected 

 by dry manure and other materials which form a crust over 

 it and prevent its destruction by the sun's rays. It is of ex- 

 treme importance, therefore, to clean and disinfect thor- 

 oughly all barns, stalls, and other inclosures which con- 

 tained tuberculous animals before healthy ones are again 

 placed in them. 



While it is necessary for the germs of tuberculosis to 

 be introduced into the body of the animal before the dis- 

 ease can be produced, there are many conditions or acces- 

 sory causes which make animals fall victims to tuberculosis. 



Animals which are fed on non-nutritious foods, as well 

 as those that have too little feed, become weakened consti- 



