513 
DISPOSAL OF AND INDEMNITY FOR REACTING ANIMALS. 
Most of the objections to tuberculin would probably be removed if 
some method of compensation for the reacting animals could be de- 
vised. Thus, in Pennsylvania, where tuberculosis is being eradicated 
with more success than in any other State, and where there are 
usually three times as many voluntary requests on file for the appli- 
cation of the test as can be made, all reacting animals are paid for by 
the State. As the suppression of tuberculosis i-s a public health 
measure, it would appear perfectly logical, for the State governments 
to reimburse cattle owners appropriately for the animals condemned 
and slaughtered. Provision could be made to pay TO per cent of the 
appraised value of the condemned animals, not to exceed $30 per 
head for common stock or $60 for registered stock. Such legislation 
should also include a requirement for the testing of all cattle coming 
into the State for dairy or breeding purposes. 
All tuberculosis animals should be slaughtered in abattoirs having 
Federal inspection, and the money obtained from carcasses which are 
inspected and passed for food and from the hide and offal of those 
carcasses condemned as unfit for food should be applied as part pay- 
ment on the indemnity for their respective owners. The payment 
of indemnity for tuberculosis animals is a good business policy and 
would do more toward making the tuberculin test popular with cattle 
owners than any other possible action. And as a corollary of the 
latter more testing would be performed and more tuberculous cattle 
would be discovered at the start, but the gradual suppression of the 
disease would soon be manifest, as has been noted in Pennsylvania 
and Denmark. Furthermore, as Stiles has mentioned, if tuberculosis 
can be eradicated from dairy herds with but slight loss to the owner, 
the increase in the price of milk would naturally be inhibited, and 
the children of poor families would consequently be in less danger of 
having this very important article of their diet decreased. 
CONCLUSIONS REGARDING THE TUBERCULIN TEST. 
As a result of the careful study of the tuberculin test Salmon' 1 
draws the following conclusions : 
1. That the tuberculin test is a wonderfully accurate method of determining 
whether an animal is affected with tuberculosis. 
2. That by the use of tuberculin the animals diseased with tuberculosis may 
be detected and removed from the herd, thereby eradicating the disease. 
3. That tuberculin has no injurious effect upon healthy cattle. 
4. That the comparatively small number of cattle which have aborted, suf- 
fered in health, or fallen off in condition after the tuberculin test were either 
a Yearbook of the United States Department of Agriculture, 1901, p. 592. 
1414— Bull. 56—09 33 
