—— Sup 
TUBERCULOSIS IN CATTLE. 43 
industry appears to be almost a matter of certainty. Although 
here the problem is not so serious, it is wise for our farmers to 
take into consideration the condition of the problem in Europe, 
and to remember that we are somewhat slowly, and yet surely, 
going in the same direction; we should, if possible, use our 
wisdom, combined with that of Europe, to stem this tide of the 
disease before it reaches with us a magnitude such as it at 
present has in certain European countries. The gravity of the 
problem is then an agricultural one, and it is a subject which 
the agricultural community is interested in handling. This 
point cannot be too thoroughly emphasized. While the 
public at large is certainly interested in keeping tuberculosis 
among cattle from distributing the disease among men, the 
problem as affecting the public at large is very slight as com- 
pared with the problem as affecting the agriculturist. If tuber- 
culosis legislation is to be designed and adopted, its primary 
object is for the benefit of the farmer and not for the benefit of 
the public at large. Incidentally the public at large benefits, 
and of course must pay its share of the expense, but the pri- 
mary object of tuberculosis legislation is to protect the 
farmer’s herd and to protect him in the development and the 
maintaining of the dairy industry. 
Are there any means now at our command for settling this 
gigantic problem? At the outset we may state that up to the 
present time there is no absolutely satisfactory means which 
has anywhere been put into practice. Legislation of some sort 
has been adopted in all European countries. The legislation 
is quite varied, however, and has varying success. In general, 
‘ each country endeavors to protect itself against others, and 
with considerable degree of success. There are in most 
countries laws which prevent the importation of animals from 
abroad, except under such strict inspection as to prohibit the 
introduction of tuberculous animals. This same thing has 
been adopted in the United States to protect one State from 
importation from another State. But, while this method of 
protecting a country against others is moderately successful 
no country has as yet found any very satisfactory method of 
protecting itself against the disease within its own borders. 
Weare, however, slowly learning methods of attack, and, as the 
years are passing, our ability to handle the disease is increasing. 
‘In the consideration of this question we must notice two points. 
First, the method of detecting the disease, and, second, the 
method of dealing with the herd after the disease has been 
detected. 
