FIFTIETH ANNUAL CONVENTION 129 



found to be tuberculous on post-mortem examination can 

 work along this line is now being conducted by the bureau 

 in co-operation with owners and packers. The results so 

 far obtained indicate that the tattooing of a number or some 

 mark of identification into the skin of the hog is the most 

 practicable method, but of course it entails additional 

 labor and expense which would amount to a great deal if 

 carried on throughout the country. It is hoped a more 

 practicable and economical means of marking swine for 

 identification will be developed in the future, as much 

 good in the campaign for the eradication of tuberculosis 

 in live stock can be accomplished in that way. 



Many shipments which contain tuberculous swine are 

 traced back to the farm by a system of reports kept by the 

 Bureau of Animal Industry. By developing the methods of 

 tracing tuberculous cattle and swine from the abattoir back 

 to the farm where they were raised, efforts can be directed 

 in eradicating the disease from these herds. 



Why The Tuberculin Test is Harmless. 



Tuberculin contains only the sterilized products of the 

 tubercle bacilli. It does not contain any living germ; there- 

 fore it is harmless to any animal whether healthy or dis- 

 eased. 



Only diseased animals give typical reactions to the 

 test. The test does not injure animals in a condition of 

 advanced pregnancy, and will not cause them to react if 

 they are free from disease. 



Likewise, it does not produce reactions in disease-free 

 animals which have recently calved. 



Appraisement and Indemnity. 



In addition to the various benefits derived from erad< 

 icating tuberculosis, provision for the appraisement of dis< 

 eased cattle with indemnity for those slaughtered is a fur« 

 ther incentive. Federal legislation and supplementary lawq 

 in numerous States now divide the burden of loss, so thai 

 the Government, the State, and the owner of the cattle all 



