PRECAUTIONS AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XII, Issue 1083, 29 December 1903, Page 1

PRECAUTIONS AGAINST TUBERCULOSIS.

The Hon. T. Y. Duncan has soothed tho agitation of Canterbury dairymen quite effectually, says the Christchurch Truth. Tho Minister for Agriculture has, in fact, completely reversed tho Department’s position. Tho Agricultural Department started out to cleanse tho Canterbury dairy herds. It was found that tuberculosis was rife in this province, and tho departmental officers decided to eradicate it. Every doubtful dairy cow was subjected to the test, and those that reacted were sent to be slaughtered. Numbers of cows that were only slightly diseased were condemned, and in some instances considerable hardship was inflicted upon the unfortunate owners. The public, however, was thankful, because of the dread most people have of tuberculosis. It was felt that if the department carried out the work thoroughly milk might be used with safety in the household, and the vory real danger of tubercular infection would bo removed. There seoms very little doubt that bovine tuberculosis is easily transmittable to human beings, and that ttaero is great danger of infection from the flesh and milk of a diseased animal. Tho Department was evidently of this opinion, because it began its work very thoroughly. Now enters Mr Duncan, who, in response to the protests of tho dairymen, declares that in his opinion several cows havo been killed that ought not to have been killed, and that ho has given instructions that unless a cow is so diseased that its milk is affected it iB not to bo killed. He has further decided to allow the isolation of cows not considered badly infected, and to permit of animals only slightly infected being fattened for “ the butcher.” In other words, Mr Duncan’s regard for tho feelings of the dairymen has overcome his doubts about the safety of the public. Because Mr Duncan must have some doubts on the subject. Obviously it cannot be perfectly safe under all circumstances to use the milk of animals sulferiug from an infec-

tious disease. Moreover, the isolation of a diseased animal canDOt bo either safe or satisfactory. Perfect isolation is almost impossible, and the pasture itself may easily become a source of infection. The proposal chat animals only slightly infected should be fattened for tho butcher is one which fortunately Christchurch need not concern itself about, because we have in the public abattoirs a means of detecting disease and of preventing tho sale of diseased meat. In suddenly causing a relaxation of the'precautions of the Department, Mr Duncan has been guilty of a grave interference, in which his own statements to the deputation of dairymen show ho is not warranted. Referring to the cattlo killed in Christchurch and district, he stated that up to the timo he went South recently, out of 440 cattle examined, 305 were tested with tuberculin, and of these 84 reacted, and 40 wore slaughtered—or less than 10 per cent, of the whole. To secure immunity from disease loss than 10 per cent, of tho dairy herds in the vicinity of tho town, and probably not more than 2 to 3 per cent, in tho country, would require to be sacrificed.