TUBERCULIN TEST.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 205, 13 August 1927, Page 4

TUBERCULIN TEST.

American Endorsement. Al the annual summer meeting of the Wisconsin State Guernsey Breeders’ Association a resolution was unanimously passed expressing confidence m the tuberculin test as an accurate diagnostic agent, and commending the tuberculosis eradication programme instituted by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. Commenting upon this resolution, “Hoard’s Dairyman" says that this group of Guernsey breeders fully appreciate that tuberculosis is a costly disease, and should be eradicated. They look with disfavour upon the few who would discontinue this good work, and who are engaged in trying to create a suspicion as to the accuracy and reliability of tuberculin in locating animals suffering from tuberculosis. The work of eradicating tuberculosis in Wisconsin, the paper continues, is being well done. No think, ing dairy farmers or breeders desire any interference with this programme. for they know that if we can free all herds of tuberculosis their animals will be more valuable, and in greater demand. This means better herds a large consumption of dairy products, and a more profitable industry. ERADICATION METHODS IN CANADA. According to the Canadian News Letter supplied by the Natural Resources Intelligence Service of Ottawa, the campaign to make the entire province of Nova Scotia a restricted area for tne suppression of bovine tuberculosis is meeting with subcess. At a meeting of the tuberculosis committee it was stated that practically all of the five eastern counties of the mainland, Buysboro’, Pictou, Antigonish. Colchester, and Cumberland, had already voted twothirds or more for a restricted area. Yarmouth county, in the south, has already given more than the necessary two-thirds vote. The drive is shortly to be extended to the other counties of the mainland, and later to Cape Breton Island. The committee is confident that the necessary vote will be secured, and that the Federal veterinary inspectors will be at work in the province bv early autumn.

Prince Edward Island is as yet the only province in Canada which has as a whole been created a restricted area for the suppression of bovine tuberculosis, but large districts in New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia are already restricted areas, and are benefiting through the Federal Government aid in eradicating this disease. The movement for tuber-cular-free cattle is rapidly gaining ground in Canada, and if Nova Scotia as a whole becomes a restricted area it will greatly add to the proportion of the Dominion where diseased cattle will have been slaughtered and wholesale eradication thus carried out. In those areas which have already been cleaned up the incidence of bovine tuberculosis is practically negligible. BERRIMA HOSPITAL’S DECISION. A decision that when the hospital next calls for milk tenders only those from owners of tested .herds will be considered has been arrived at hv the committee of the Berrima District Hospital. This resolution arose out of a discussion on a letter from Miss Rose, member of the State executive of the Country Women's Association, urging the committee to require evidence that milk supplied to the hospital was procured from cows that were free from tuberculosis. It was stated that owing to the facilities now being offered by the Government to test with tuberculin free of charge herds supplying milk Tor public consumption. the production of a reliable certificate, now' presented no difficulties to the owners of herds that were free from this disease.