756 
Nov.  19 
THE  RURAL  NEW-YORKER. 
I  am  60  years  old  and  feel  contented.  I  am  35  miles 
from  the  nearest  railroad  station.  If  we  had  a  railroad 
nearby,  I  could  lay  up  a  little  for  a  rainy  day. 
San  Mateo  Co.,  Cal.  geo.  g.  smith. 
ALL  ABOUT  CONSUMPTIVE  COWS. 
SYMPTOMS  AND  TREATMENT  FOR  TUBERCULOSIS. 
What  are  the  symptoma  of  consumptive  cows  ?  Is  there  any 
remedy  ?  T-  T- 
This  is  a  subject  requiring  great  caution,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  great  thoroughness  in  investigation  and 
discussion.  Dairymen  and  the  consumers  of  animal 
products  should  not  become  needlessly  alarmed  over 
the  possible  danger  from  this  disease,  but  should  study 
the  subject  carefully  and  be  prepared  to  adopt  neces¬ 
sary  precautionary  measures.  Great  injustice  may  be 
done  if  hasty  action  be  taken,  but  that  some  action, 
either  individual  or  governmental,  is  required,  is 
plain.  There  is  probably  no  considerable  part  of  the 
country  where  bovine  tuberculosis  does  not  exist  to  a 
greater  or  less  extent.  The  inspector  of  provisions  in 
a  large  Massachusetts  town  last  winter  made  the 
statement  that  there  was  not  a  cow  in  the  State  that 
had  not  been  exposed  to  the  disease,  that  large  num¬ 
bers  are  infected  with  it,  and  that  the  condition  of 
affairs  is  growing  worse  all  the  time.  From  reports, 
the  same  is  undoubtedly  true  of  many  other  parts  of 
the  country,  and,  if  so,  certainly  action  prompt  and 
decisive,  should  be  taken. 
I  recently  visited  the  milk  farm  of  Dr.  E.  F.  Brush 
of  Mount  Vernon,  N.  Y.,  and  from  him  obtained  most 
of  the  information  which  follows.  The  Doctor  is 
Professor  of  Bovine  Pathology  in  the  American  Veter¬ 
inary  College,  New  York,  has  a  library  comprising 
about  everything  of  value  ever  published  in  connection 
with  cattle  and  cattle  diseases,  and  is  a  practicing 
physician  of  many  years’  practical  experience;  so  it 
would  seem  that  his  opinions  should  have  the  weight 
of  authority. 
“  What  causes  bovine  tuberculosis?  ”  I  inquired. 
“In  a  word,  inbreeding,”  he  replied.  “All  breeders 
know  that  this  practice  tends  to  weaken  the  offspring, 
and  the  longer  it  is  continued,  the  more  apparent  be¬ 
comes  the  weakness.  There  are  two  permanent  vari¬ 
eties  of  the  domestic  breeds  of  the  bovine  tribe,  one 
the  large,  and  the  other  the  small  form.  To  the  latter 
belong  the  most  noted  distinctively  dairy  breeds,  and 
to  preserve  their  dairy  qualities  they  have  been  closely 
inbred.  The  result  is  tha',  they  are  nearly  all  scrofu¬ 
lous  and  tuberculous.  From  the  large  variety,  come 
the  beef  breeds.  The  distinctive  breeds  of  each  are 
formed  by  greater  or  less  infusions  of  blood  from  the 
opposite  variety.  Among  beef  breeds,  the  one  most 
closely  inbred  is  the  Short-horn,  and  this  is  the  most 
tuberculous.  The  disease  develops  less  frequently 
among  the  beef  than  among  the  dairy  breeds,  because 
the  former  are  generally  killed  while  young,  and  are 
not  subjected  to  the  extra  strain  of  giving  milk.”  Too 
early  fecundation  is  also  given  as  another  cause  of 
tuberculosis. 
Are  any  breeds  of  cattle  more  subject  to  the  dis¬ 
ease  than  others,  and  why  ? 
From  the  answer  to  the  previous  question,  it  will 
be  seen  that  the  more  closely  a  system  of  inbreeding 
is  pursued,  and  the  longer  it  is  continued,  the  more 
likely,  other  conditions  being  equal,  is  the  strain  or 
breed  to  be  subject  to  tuberculosis.  The  beef  breed 
which  has  been  most  closely  inbred,  and  which  is  also 
most  tuberculous,  has  been  named.  The  dairy  breeds 
which  have  been  most  closely  inbred  are  the  natives  of 
the  Channel  Islands.  An  official  of  the  Bureau  of 
Animal  Industry  says  that  20  per  cent  of  the  thorough¬ 
bred  Jerseys  of  the  Northern  States  are  affected  with 
tuberculosis.  The  inbreeding  to  which  this  breed,  as 
well  as  the  other  Channel  Island  breeds,  has  been  sub¬ 
jected  for  many  generations,  and  the  unnatural  forc¬ 
ing  for  large  milk  yields  have  contributed  to  this 
result.  These  are  the  facts  ;  are  the  deductions  rea¬ 
sonable  ? 
Is  there  any  relation  between  bovine  and  human 
tuberculosis  ? 
Yes ;  and  this  is  why  this  subject  is  such  an  im¬ 
portant  one  to  every  consumer  of  the  products  of  the 
cow.  Where  the  bovine  species  does  not  exist,  pul¬ 
monary  consumption  is  said  to  be  unknown,  and  just 
in  the  proportion  that  cows  are  affected  by  tubercu¬ 
losis  is  the  death  rate  among  the  human  species.  Dr. 
Brush  gives  it  as  his  opinion  that  all  human  tubercu¬ 
losis  is  derived  from  the  bovine  species.  He  has  proved 
conclusively  that  the  domestic  fowl,  when  fed  upon 
the  flesh  of  a  tuberculous  cow,  developed  the  disease 
rapidly,  and  the  human  species  develops  it  less  rapidly 
only  because  the  natural  temperature  is  lower  and 
less  favorable  for  the  growth  of  the  germs.  Experi¬ 
ments  have  demonstrated  that  the  disease  is  directly 
communicable  by  inoculation.  Without  the  aid  of  the 
inbred  species  of  the  bovine  race,  the  germs  of  tuber¬ 
culosis  would  in  time  become  extinct.  This,  of  course, 
is  not  a  matter  of  a  few  years  only,  but  of  many  gen¬ 
erations. 
What  are  the  most  common  symptoms  of  the  dis¬ 
ease,  especially  those  likely  to  be  observed  by  the  ordi¬ 
nary  farmer  ? 
As  some  medical  men  claim  never  to  have  seen  a  milch 
cow  with  tuberculosis,  it  is  not  strange  if  the  “  ordi¬ 
nary  farmer  ”  fails  readily  to  recognize  the  symptoms. 
One  of  the  most  noticeable  is  the  giving  of  an  abnor¬ 
mal  quantity  of  milk.  In  Dr.  Brush’s  practice,  this 
has  led  to  the  detection  of  the  disease  in  animals 
which  were  not  previously  suspected  of  any  affection .  A 
scrofulous  or  tuberculous  individual,  whether  human 
or  bovine,  is  a  large  milk  producer,  although  the  milk 
is  deficient  in  all  nutri¬ 
tive  elements  excepting 
fat.  Another  indication 
of  tuberculosis  is  the 
beautiful  form,  thin,  fine 
skin  and  generally  deli¬ 
cate  appearance  of  the 
animal.  Another  symp¬ 
tom  is  the  enlargement  of 
the  inguinal  gland  situ¬ 
ated  on  the  animal’s 
thigh  just  at  the  junction 
of  the  leg  with  the  body. 
Some  one  of  these  symp¬ 
toms  ought  to  be  detected 
by  any  careful  observer. 
Is  the  disease  necessar¬ 
ily  fatal  ? 
Were  it  generally  and 
speedily  fatal,  it  would 
attract  more  attention ; 
but  it  is  not.  Probably 
but  few  cases  are  fatal, 
at  least  not  before  the 
diseased  animal  has 
reached  an  advanced  age, 
and  here  is  just  where 
the  danger  to  the  human 
family  arises.  Dr.  Brush 
says :  “  Tuberculosis  is  emphatically  a  bovine  disease  ; 
this  race  can  be  tubercular  from  birth  to  old  age,  and 
yet  not  die  from  this  disease.  It  is  only  when  the 
surroundings,  lack  of  care  and  other  bad  hygienic  con¬ 
ditions  lower  the  resistance  that  caseation  of  the 
tubercular  mass  takes  place,  and  the  animal  dies  from 
sepsis.” 
Is  there  any  remedy,  and  what  ? 
No  more  than  there  is  for  a  thoroughly  seated  case 
of  consumption  in  the  human  subject.  It  is  incurable. 
As  implied  in  the  answer  to  the  previous  question, 
proper  care  may  prevent  its  development,  and  the  ani¬ 
mal  may  live  to  an  old  age,  but  the  only  remedy  is  the 
“  ounce  of  prevention.” 
What  preventive  measures  are  available  ? 
An  avoidance  of  those  conditions  which  have  pro¬ 
duced  the  existing  state  of  affairs  among  affected  ani¬ 
mals,  i.  e.,  inbreeding  and  too  early  fecundation.  With 
animals  already  weakened  by  a  long  course  of  inbreed¬ 
ing  and  unnatural  forcing,  many  generations  will  be 
required  to  overcome  the  tendency,  but  progress  in 
that  direction  is  possible.  Proper  housing  and  care, 
avoidance  of  too  early  breeding  and  too  long  continued 
milking,  and  general  sanitary  precautions  will  pre¬ 
vent  the  development  of  the  disease.  No  cow  should 
drop  a  calf  before  she  is  three  years  old. 
Is  there  danger  in  using  the  milk  or  flesh  of 
affected  animals  ? 
The  answer  to  the  fifth  question  above  shows  that 
there  is  great  danger  in  both. 
Why  would  United  States  laws  be  better  than  State 
laws  for  controlling  this  ma~tter  ? 
Because,  as  the  cattle  of  the  whole  country  are 
affected,  any  laws  in  relation  to  the  matter  should  be 
uniform.  It  would  be  manifestly  unfair  if,  for  in¬ 
stance,  New  York  should  enact  stringent  laws  upon 
this  subject,  while  Pennsylvania  should  enact  none. 
A  New  York  breeder  might  have  his  whole  stock 
destroyed,  while  his  neighbor,  with  stock  equally  af¬ 
fected,  but  living  in  Pennsylvania,  would  not  be 
molested.  The  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry  has  cog¬ 
nizance  of  all  matters  affecting  the  live  stock  of  the 
country.  The  United  States  Government  has  appro¬ 
priated  vast  sums  for  the  extirpation  of  contagious 
pleuro-pneumonia.  The  latter  disease  does  not  affect 
the  human  race,  or,  indeed,  any  but  the  bovine  race. 
Public  health  is  not  menaced  by  it,  but  is  by  tuber¬ 
culosis.  Why,  then,  should  not  the  Federal  Govern¬ 
ment  take  cognizance  of  the  latter  for  the  protection 
of  its  own  citizens  as  well  as  for  the  maintenance  of 
the  reputation  of  our  animal  products  abroad?  With 
the  existing  multiplicity  of  laws,  it  is  perhaps  difficult 
to  say  just  how  far  legislation  should  attempt  to  pro¬ 
tect  the  individual.  But  in  a  matter  which  so  clearly 
affects  the  health  and  lives  of  such  a  large  number  of 
people,  many  of  whom  are  of  a  helpless  age,  some 
uniform  legislation  should  be  attempted.  Such  in¬ 
spection  should  be  enforced  as  will  exclude  the  milk 
or  meat  of  affected  animals  from  all  markets.  Breed¬ 
ing  from  affected  animals  should  be  prohibited.  Ani¬ 
mals  badly  affected  should  be  destroyed.  Every 
effort  should  be  made  to  spread  information  upon  the 
subject  among  breeders  in  order  to  show  them  the 
necessity  for  concerted  action.  Much  wisdom  and 
sagacity  are  needed  that  all  may  be  protected  and  no 
injustice  done.  F-  v. 
RAILROAD  CROSSINGS. 
LET  US  HAVE  GATES. 
The  “iron  horse”  is  responsible  for  more  accidents 
in  America  than  any  other  thing,  and  the  average  of 
such  is  much  higher  than  in  any  other  nation.  Ac¬ 
cording  to  statistics,  a  sailor  on  his  barque  plowing 
the  stormy  main  is  in  comparative  safety  compared 
with  those  who  come  nigh  the  “iron  steed.” 
Railroads  run  through  cities,  towns,  villages,  ham¬ 
lets  and  highways;  therefore  all  classes  of  people  are 
interested  in  their  own  preservation  from  the  iron 
monster,  which  knows  no  distinction  of  class.  We 
read  of  rich  and  prominent  people  being  run  down — 
the  records  including  clergymen  driving  with  their 
families  on  visiting  tours,  doctors,  lawyers,  politicians; 
deaf  citizens,  etc.  Horse  cars  loaded  with  people  are 
demolished,  farmers  in  their  wagons  returning  from 
market  are  mutilated  or  slain,  children  returning  from 
school  are  crushed.  Sometimes  other  noises  have 
drowned  that  of  the  puffing  and  hissing  engine,  some¬ 
times  two  trains  approach  from  opposite  directions, 
one  hiding  the  view  of  the  other,  and  confusion  and 
loss  are  the  frequent  results. 
In  this  century,  when  there  are  so  many  appliances 
to  save  little  troubles,  aches  and  pains,  it  is  remark¬ 
able  that  very  little  attention  is  given  to  the  preven¬ 
tion  of  accidents,  which,  in  the  aggregate,  are  as  de¬ 
vastating  to  the  homes  as  war. 
There  is  a  very  simple  way  of  lessening  the  number 
of  these  catastrophes  at  railway  crossings,  but  it  will 
entail  a  large  expenditure  of  money  by  the  opulent 
railroad  corporations.  It  is  a  method  used  in  coun¬ 
tries  where  accidents  on  crossings  are  very  rare  in¬ 
deed,  and  where  such  an  accident  would  arouse  wrath 
and  righteous  indignation.  In  fact,  the  official  publi¬ 
cation  of  the  Board  of  Trade  of  England  states  that  in 
1891  of  845,000,000  passengers  carried  by  the  railways, 
only  five  lost  their  lives  from  causes  beyond  the  con¬ 
trol  of  the  travelers,  and  the  list  of  those  who  perished 
at  grade  crossings  was  still  smaller. 
Grade  crossings  are  permitted  only  where  it  would 
be  very  inconvenient  to  bridge  overhead  or  tunnel. 
At  the  grade  crossings  heavy  double  gates  painted 
white  swing  across  the  tracks,  and  are  a  warning  to 
the  engineer  of  a  train  and  a  protection  for  those 
using  the  crossing.  As  the  gates  swing  around  to 
close  the  crossing  they  drive  back  all  the  impatient 
ones  who  like  to  run  risks,  and  not  even  a  little 
“yaller”  dog  has  a  chance  to  get  killed.  At  night  two 
large  red  lights  surmount  the  gates  in  the  center  of 
the  tracks.  They  are  operated  by  a  man  in  a  house 
by  means  of  a  lever  and  crank.  He  is  warned  of  the 
approach  of  a  train  by  an  electric  signal  from  the  next 
signalman,  the  bell  ringing  loud  enough  to  be  a  warn¬ 
ing  also  to  all  in  the  vicinity.  In  this  system  it  will  be 
seen  that  pedestrians  and  others  have  constant  pro¬ 
tection,  and  even  if  a  gateman  should  fail  in  his  duties 
there  is  the  unmistakable  signal  of  warning  to  the 
engineer  of  an  approaching  train  that  the  crossing  is 
open  for  travel  and  closed  to  him.  Pictures  of  such 
gates  are  shown  at  Figs.  294  and  295.  Railroad  folks 
are  not  given  to  smashing  their  own  property  heed¬ 
lessly,  and  will  not  run  into  these  gates  any  more 
than  they  would  into  the  tail  end  of  a  train. 
The  apologies  for  gates  economically  adopted  by 
American  railroads  at  present,  seem  to  have  served  the 
purpose  of  just  keeping  within  the  demands  of  recent 
legislation.  That  they  afford  slender  protection  is 
never  denied.  When  the  long  poles  descend  they  may 
have  closed  in,  on  the  tracks,  some  unwary  travelers  ; 
and  this  has  been  done  even  with  horses  and  carriages. 
A  train  may  come  unawares  and  the  gateman  may  be 
negligent,  in  which  case  no  warning  is  given  the 
engineer  that  the  travel  has  not  been  shut  off  the 
crossing.  The  matter  is  of  such  vital  importance  to 
all  classes,  city  man  and  farmer  alike,  that  united  opin¬ 
ion  should,  without  any  dallying,  exert  its  influence  to 
save  further  loss  of  life  and  limb,  thomas  j.  dixon. 
