Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1898. Tuberculosis.

Manawatu Herald, 10 March 1898, Page 2

Manawatu Herald THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1898. Tuberculosis.

■ 4 The Agricultural Department have i published as a leaflet for farmers one on the above disease which we desire to draw our readers attention to, and add the advice that they obtain a copy from the nearest post office. These publications are distributed free by the Department with the laudable objeofc that all may be informed of their contents. The disease is spreading and ia one that concerns every farmer and every consumer of meat, and it is not only only in cattle that the disease is found but also in pigs and fowls. Day by day the matter becomes more evident that for the safety of the population ail meat killed should be done under proper inspection, and the Jewish system brought into force. It wa3 not until the year 1865 that it was known that tuberculosis was contagious, but since then it has been proved so, and is conveyed by the broken-down, soLontd material of a diseased lung being coughed up on the pasture und taken up by another animal in gr»;z ug, 01* the ejected material is dtpusi.ed übout a bail or cowshed, and gettia<? reduce d to powder is inhaled. This disease is commonly kuown in man as con sumption and we know how contagious this is. It has not been definitely proved that the con sump tion of such diseased meat carries the germs to the consamer, but it would be infinitely more satisfactory to be assured that nil our meat was that of sound animals. The disease shows itself in the milk and tainted miik must ba a source of great danger. We referred in our last issue to the decrepit and brokendown condition of our population and we may fairly ask whether the want of the necessary precautions as to what we eat and drink may not have something to do with the deterioration of our condition. We would much rather see our politicians observe a truce in their fights for plaoa and power and devote their attention to the better administration not only of the laws of the oolony but even to make more laws for the safety and well being of the people they are supposed to consider. This is, perhaps, a question of time but if the feminine voters would but give their attention to the power they possess, domestic matters will probably in the future receive better consideration. To us all, the knowledge that our Government was doing its best to see that our food supplies were pure and untainted would be a matter of much more congratulation than whether one man was Premier or some other man. The Government that take 3 these questions up in a thorough manner is the one that is likeliest to have the longest reign.