1908. 
BOVINE AND HUMAN TUBERCULOSIS. 
A Medical Explanation. 
I have just finished reading on page 902, in the 
issue of November 21, A. C. Austin’s comment on 
C. S. Greene’s prize essay on “Bovine Tuberculosis.” 
This comment, were it published in a medium cir¬ 
culating among physicians, would receive no recog¬ 
nition, since it stamps itself as the result of an infer¬ 
tile imagination. I reply because of its having been 
printed, and that, too, in a publication of such 
prominence as yours, which fact might tend to con¬ 
firm those who for financial reasons are interested 
in suppressing or controverting the knowledge that 
science is giving us concerning; this greatest of 
enemies to man and beast. One would not have been 
surprised if the gentleman had denied the existence 
of tuberculosis, and also supported the assertion of 
others that “disease exists only in the imagination.” 
If he doubts the virulence of “these myriads of 
malefic tuberculosis germs” lie is in a good position to 
confer a lasting favor on humanity by offering him¬ 
self for the purpose of inoculation experimentation, 
and thereby help settle the cjuestion as to whether 
bovine tuberculosis is communicable to man. His 
proximity to the United States Sanitarium is very 
convenient for' that purpose. Mr. Austin also says 
that “Some physicians believe that the tuberculosis 
microbes are not the cause of the disease, but are 
merely scavengers that clean up the waste of de¬ 
pleted lungs that have not been properly nourished; 
otherwise they are harmless, are not infectious.” He 
does not mention his authority, hence there are two 
points from which to view that statement. First, he, 
not being a medical man, has misunderstood what 
he has read or heard, and second, there are many 
physicians practicing to-day who have never seen a 
tubercle bacillus or worked with them, and conse¬ 
quently know nothing of their history or behavior. 
The statement that they are “merely scavengers” 
might have been a misinterpretation of the assertion 
by some, that the tubercle bacillus might at one time 
have been a harmless saprophyte or organism that 
breaks up decomposing organic compounds, and hav¬ 
ing repeatedly, times innumerable, been placed in a 
new environment, have acquired the characteristics of 
a parasite or virulent organism. Dr. Koch, the dis¬ 
coverer of this and many other organisms, says that 
for a germ to be charged with causing a disease, it 
must first be found in the body of an organism suf¬ 
fering from a disease, it must be 
isolated in pure culture, and reproduce 
that disease in another animal and 
finally be recovered from that animal 
in pure culture. Of all organisms or 
germs known to bacteriology of to-day 
there is none more typical in fulfilling 
these condition that the tubercle bacil¬ 
lus. Hence, while other organisms are 
found associated with the tubercle bacil¬ 
lus at times, particularly in phthisis or 
tuberculosis of the lungs, yet the 
tubercle bacillus is found in every in¬ 
stance, thus fulfilling Dr. Koch’s state¬ 
ment, which is an established scientific 
truth, and not a “microbe superstition 
theory.” 
From Mr. Austin’s statement, “I re¬ 
gard the use of chloride of soda, salt, 
as very rasping and drastic on the kid¬ 
neys,” it is difficult to understand 
whether he means one or both of these 
substances. If he is positive as to 
chloride of soda, he is again laboring 
under a misapprehension since there is 
no such chemical compound; there is a 
compound popularly known as soda, 
which is the hydrate of soda (caustic 
soda), a compound formed of sodium, 
hydrogen and oxygen. It is a hard, 
white, opaque solid having an intensely 
acrid and caustic taste, and an alka¬ 
line reaction. It is used externally as 
a caustic. Therefore, considering this 
definition, one might infer that he 
means only salt or sodium chloride, in other words a 
combination of the elements sodium and chlorine. 
Apropos of his statement as to the “rasping and 
drastic effect on the kidneys,” in this he must be an 
exception, as he is also in the instance of his con¬ 
tinued immunity from tubercular invasion, although 
having partaken of milk for 75 years. It would be 
interesting indeed to investigators if he could give the 
reasons for his conclusions, and by what tests he was 
able to demonstrate this so-called drastic action. We 
must admit that there are peculiar idiosyncrasies in 
certain people for certain substances. Thus it has 
come under the writer’s observation that the odor of 
a horse would cause an attack of asthma. This has 
LILIUM SPECIOSUM MAGNIFICUM, GREATLY REDUCED. Fig. 449. 
See Ruralisms, Page 956. 
every year in our large cities makes quite a hole in 
this 100 per cent. 1 do not want to be misunderstood 
as trying to scare people out of using milk, as such 
is not my intention. The danger of using tuberculous 
milk, however, is recognized by the best authorities on 
the subject, and any physicians who believe that 
the “tuberculosis microbes” (tubercle bacilli) are not 
the cause of the disease, as Mr. Austin states, must 
have graduated more than 26 years ago and failed 
to avail themselves of the valuable fact that Koch 
discovered the tubercle bacilli in 1882, and that his 
discovery has been universally accepted as the cause 
of the disease by the medical profession. 
I do not doubt Mr. Austin’s careful diet has been 
061 
the cause of his long life, but anyone who thinks that 
bovine tuberculosis is a fake which gives “a chance 
for an association of middlemen to butt in on the 
farmer for a soft job,” as Mr. Austin states, is 
greatly mistaken. There have already been too many 
writers and speakers on this subject posing as “farm¬ 
ers’ Moses,” ridiculing the tuberculin test and fight¬ 
ing the plans for controlling the disease, until the 
annual loss to the farmers of the United States, as 
computed by Dr. A. D. Melvin, amounts to over 
$14,000,000 a year. Can we as farmers and dairymen 
afford to shut our eyes to these conditions? 
C. S. GREENE. 
HOW TO SELL GOOD APPLES. 
T have read the articles on honest Baldwins, and 
am surprised to know that such trouble exists in 
New York, right in the home of the Baldwins. So 
long as growers grow poor apples and sell them to 
dealers (unless some law is passed to make every 
packer put his name on the package) this same dis¬ 
honesty will exist. The growers, though, can do away 
with a great share of it by packing their own fruit 
and placing their name not only on the barrel but in¬ 
side. This I know from experience. I will give you 
a short history of how I get my crop of apples into 
the consumers’ hands. I was the only grower in these 
parts who took care of his orchard, sprayed and 
cultivated. My apples were much superior to others 
here, but the buyers wanted to pay no more for 
them, because they said their trade didn’t call for 
such fruit. For two years I sold to them, but 
I packed the apples myself and I packed in each 
barrel as well as on it this card: “The apples in this 
package were grown and packed by- 
and quality guaranteed”—when the card said choice 
the apples were choice. It wasn’t long before I got 
letters from consumers, until now my entire crop of 
Newtown fruit is sold direct to consumers in from 
one to five barrel lots. This year I only had 200 
barrels of Newtown fruit, and it would have taken 
500 barrels to supply all the calls at $3.50 per barrel 
here. Grow good fruit, pack it honestly, place your 
name inside and out, and it won’t be long before you 
can sell your fruit to such men as J. F. T. and 
C- G. A. H A Bi 
Tuscola Co., Mich. 
EXPERIENCE IN MULCHING STRAWBERRIES. 
In the issue of The R. N.-Y. of November 14 you 
say you mulch after the first hard 
freeze. In some other issues I re¬ 
member several different materials were 
mentioned as good for mulching. In 
former years I relied mostly on bog hay, 
as most available and least likely to 
bring in weed seeds. I have found, 
however, that oats or barley sown in 
this climate about the middle of August 
will make a growth about ready to blos¬ 
som by November 25 or sooner, and if 
cut then and put upon the strawberries 
it will stay where put and it makes an 
ideal mulch. Peas grown with the oats 
or barley is an improvement. It is more 
readily spread than any other material 
I have ever used, and makes a far bet¬ 
ter cover for the plants, and it can be 
grown so as to he free from weed seeds. 
I consider early mulching much better 
than waiting for ground to freeze. I 
think there is less danger of injuring the 
plants before the ground is frozen than 
after, as a wheel or foot upon a plant 
will only press it down without serious 
harm. If the rows are made three feet 
apart, as is quite usual, a one-horse 
team with wide tread will run between 
the rows, and very little trampling of 1 
plants will be done. I think early 
mulching is better for the plants. 
Massachusetts. m. morse. 
Many readers have been told that the 
French and Germans can buy small ice¬ 
making machines of moderate cost. In parts of this 
country where the Winters are mild a dairyman cannot 
safely depend upon the weather to furnish his ice 
supply. Some of them write asking where they can 
buy a small ice machine which will give ice enough 
to cool their milk. The United States Consul General 
at Marseilles, France, says that freezing machines are 
sold in that country at $18 to $27. The larger size 
will make about 5 y 2 pounds of ice in 20 minutes. 
The freezing is done by nitrate of ammonia or other 
chemicals. On the whole these machines seem to be 
nothing more than large toys. Expensive machinery 
is needed to make ice in a businesslike way. The 
cheapest machine we have found in this country costs 
$500. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
occurred in two persons, women, who did not know 
one another or were not related. Plence in Mr. 
Austin’s case one must be forced to conclude that it 
is a case of peculiar susceptibility or idiosyncrasy. 
This, however, need not influence him to withhold 
that very necessary substance from his stock, or cause 
others to forget the use of it. It would be very 
interesting indeed to have him set forth the reasoning 
that brought about his deductions. In making these 
statements I do not wish to give offense, but merely 
to correct an erroneous impression. Your paper has 
admirable standards and I hope it may always live 
up to them, and long may it continue. 
Pennsylvania. george c. icusel, m. d. 
Mr. Greene Comes Back. 
I notice on page 902 A. C. Austin, of New Mexico, 
comes forth with evidence with which he tries to 
HAVING A BARREL OF FUN. Fig. 448. 
show that my prize essay on “The Bovine Tuber¬ 
culosis Problem” is exaggerated. He asks, “Is not ex¬ 
perience a better guide than this microbe superstition 
theory?” his experience being in the use of a partial 
milk diet for the past 75 years. Fie does not say that 
he ever saw a tuberculous cow, so I judge from his 
article that he has not. 
Now I want to say that he is not the only person 
who has drank milk and lived to be 75 years of age, 
neither does he belong to a 100 per cent class. The 
number of babies who die from drinking impure milk 
I 
- Hi 
mm 
