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tuberculin test is applied, or for whatever purpose, all positive 
reactions obtained should be regarded as placing the reacting ani- 
mal in the category of recognized cases of tuberculosis," then the 
discarding of this most important postulate by beginning to retest 
reactors, to say nothing of officially recognizing retests made by 
private practitioners, for the sole purpose of gratifying a few mal- 
contents, would put the stamp of procrastination and dillydally- 
ing on the work of the Division and would lose for it the merit 
of official recognition from Washington. 
When a few days ago a local practitioner came to the office 
of the writer and requested that he accompany him to two herds 
which he (the practitioner) had tested, using the intra-dermal 
test for the first time in his experience, and asked the writer to 
place the official ear tag on the animals which had given no reac- 
tion, the writer refused to do so and immediately placed the ques- 
tion before two of the members of the Committee on Animal In- 
dustry, both of which, unequivocally, supported the stand taken 
by him. It would, however, seem well if the Board by motion 
would make it clear that no animal or herd will be officially recog- 
nized as free from tuberculosis unless it has been tested and pro- 
nounced free from the disease by a veterinarian officially connect- 
ed with the Board or cooperating with the Board — the actual 
work of injection in each case being performed by the Territorial 
Veterinarian, his assistant or deputy. There will of course be no 
objection to the presence of private practitioners if so desired by 
the owners. 
But the technique of the intra-dermal test is far from being 
as simple and safe as might at first appear and the slightest mis- 
take in inserting the needle may vitiate the result, especially in 
inexperienced hands. Wliile it is not my intention to say any- 
thing to detract from the merits of the intra-dermal test, the ex- 
perience of the past few months has demonstrated, that while the 
method is extremely simple, it nevertheless requires a steady hand 
and one which through practice has gained the requisite knowl- 
edge of recognizing when the needle has penetrated sufficiently 
deep. That the animal, if the least fractious, must be securely 
restrained goes without saying, as it is absolutely necessary that 
the operator should be left unhampered and with a feeling of 
security against injury while inserting the needle. 
During the months of November and December of last year 
the intra-dermal test was applie^^ to a number of herds, prefer- 
ably such where branded reactors to the subcutaneous test could 
be obtained as checks. The results obtained can best be illus- 
trated by describing the work as it was carried out with certain 
herds. 
1. F. C. On May 25 and 26, 1910, the dairy herd belonging 
to F. C. and consisting of 22 cows and 1 bull were submitted to 
the subcutaneous (old) test. Six cows and the bull reacted. 
These animals were immediately segregated and subsequently 
four were sent to the slaughter house where the post-mortem 
