122 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 Jury, 1901, 
THE SUGAR DELEGATES. 
A request was received from Mr. E. Swayne (Mackay) that the delegates 
from the sugar districts be allowed to absent themselves from the next mor 
ing’s session, and this was agreed to. 
SEVENTH SESSION. 
Fripay, 14ru June, 1901, 9:30 a.m. 
Business was commenced by the referring to the Committee of Resolutions 
motions submitted by Mr. F. Wirrrams (Upper North Pine) and Mr. 2, 
CarrermMunLL (Woongarra), suggesting that papers for reading at future con- 
ferences be in the hands of the Agricultural Department a few weeks before 
the date of the Conference, and that these be printed for the information of 
the delegates. 
Mr. J. E. Deay, of Woodlands, Maryborough, then read his paper on— 
TUBERCULOSIS IN DAIRY CATTLE. 
It is not my intention to occupy the time of this Conference by describing what 
tuberculosis is, for you have no doubt read some of the many descriptions which have 
from time to time been given by scientific men. J may say that I have witnessed the 
post-mortem examination of quite a number of dairy cattle which have succumbed to 
this much dreaded form of consumption. I have seen it from the small seed-like 
state to the large tumour, and in cases when the lungs were a mass of corruption. 
Those animals are sold in England to the “knacker” or “slink butcher,” and_ 
many choice pieces are sold by him to keepers of cheap boarding-houses and to street 
vendors of hot pies, the remainder being sold as dogs-meat, and is eaten in a raw 
state, and the dogs are allowed to lick the hands and faces of the children with which 
they are allowed to play, and thus convey the germs of disease to the children, and the 
blame is laid upon the milk of the poor inocent cow. . 
I may say that I have a deep respect for the researches of scientific men, but I 
am afraid that they sometimes give us theory instead of science—i.e., knowledge. And 
when their statements are not borne out by practical results we have a right to object. 
Professor Virchow, of Germany, is said to be one of the best authorities on the 
subject of tuberculosis. He makes this very startling statement ;—‘ One tuberculous 
cow is enough todepopulate a whole village.” A statement like this makes one certain, 
like the Irishman, who, seeing the living organisms in a drop of magnified water, said: 
“Begorra it’s a wonder we were not kilt before we were born.” 
Some three or four years ago, two cows amongst the forty head of which Her late 
Majesty’s herd was composed were found to be in an advanced stage of tuberculosis. 
Upon applying the tuberculin test, thirty-four others were found to be affected—a_ 
most startling discovery indeed, especially as the whole product of the herd was being 
consumed by Her Majesty and the members of her household. Now, how is it that, 
if one tuberculous cow is enough to depopulate a whole village, thirty-six such cows 
failed to annihilate the entire household, and the Queen along with them? It is well 
known that Her Majesty used both milk and cream very largely, yet she enjoyed good 
health, and lived to a ripe oldage. We must admit, Sir, that theory isnot borne out by 
practice in this case at least; and I may say that, after more than twenty years’ observa- 
tion, those who use the largest quantity of milk enjoy the best health. And I have 
been forced to the conclusion that the cause of the large infantile death rate is not 
from the use of milk, but from an insufficient supply of milk and suitable food to meet 
the requirements of the growing child and to fortify the body against disease. How 
many husbands there are who spend their money in drink and leave their wives and 
children short of necessary rai to nourish their bodies, the poor mother having to 
undertake the duties of motherhood with a body unequal to the task; as a result weak 
children are brought into the world to be ill-fed and to find an early grave. Often the 
mother has to leave the washtub, the scrubbing, and other duties, bathed in perspira- 
tion and weary in body, to give her babe the breast, and is unable to satisfy the little 
one’s want and has not the money to purchase the necessary milk to develop her child. 
Too often the little one dies from consumption, and then the ery goes forth that milk 
from tuberculous cows is killing our children. But we must have revenue from the 
drink even at the cost of the very life’s blood of our fellow-creatures. I wish means 
could be found to prevent men from sacrificing the lives of those whom God has 
entrusted to their care. 
