SCOURGE OF MAMMITIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18947, 19 February 1925, Page 12

SCOURGE OF MAMMITIS.

SNEW VACCINE TREATMENT. CONFIDENCE IN EFFICACY. FARMERS TAKING ACTION, |>l' TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORBESPON DENT. ] HAMILTON. Wednesday Tho interest taken by tho farmers of the Waikato in tho anti-mammitis vaccino d uncovered by Mr. J. G. Smith, bacteriologist at tho Waikato Hospital, was evidenced at Gordonton last evening, when a largely-attended meeting of farmers was held to hear tho treatment explained. Mr. B. G„ Young presided. Mr. E. C. Day, of Hamilton, who was present by invitation, said that all that was claimed for tho vaccino waii that it ■would give the cows a great deal of relief by giving them immunity from contagious mammitis. Some 12,(XX) cows had been treated, many of them suffering from the disease, and no case had been reported to the promoters of a cow having failed to respond. Cows that had suffered from the disease had cleaned up, and no sound cow had contracted contagious mammitis since it had been inoculated. Tho history relating to the discovery of tho vaccine was given by Mr. Day. In 19121 many Hamilton children suffered during an epidemic of ear and nose trouble, he said, among them being Mr. Smith's child. The child did not respond to the ordinary ointment treatment and it was then found that the disease was due to a streptococcal infection. A vaccine was prepared from tho soro and tho child was treated. The trouble was then soon remedied. Mr. Smith traced the disease to the milk the child had consumed, and it was discovered thai tho human and bovine strains of streptococci were similar. Experiments with vaccino were found to be effective in the treatment of contagious mammitis in cows, and so the prophylactic that was rspw being used was evolved. Immunity in the Future, There was no such thin# as absolute immunity, said Mr. Day, but he believed that the vaccine would give immunity against the disease. How absolute that immunity would be only time could tell. The important feature of the treatment was that it would free future generations of cows from contagious mammitis. The vaccine treatment was given on tho soundest principle of acquired immunity. It was perfectly harmless, and when given the vaccine, the cows hardly lost "a chew of the cud." Extensive tests carried out by the Agricultural Department showed that 43 per cent, of the cows whose milk had been examined had suffered from contagious mamxriitis, while 57 per cent, had suffered from other forms of udder complaint, Mr. Day continued. Mr. Smith's observations, _ extending over three years, had convinced him that 90 per cent, of the cows of tho Waikato had suffered from mammitis in one form or another, although not necessarily contagious mammitis. Cows freed from contagious mammitis stood a very much greater chance of withstanding the inroads of other diseases than those still affected with the major trouble. Any farmer who desired to ascertain for certain whether his # cows suffered from contagious mammitis only needed to send samples of milk to the Government laboratory at Wallaceville and a report would be supplied free of cost. Germs About the Paddocks. To prove that the contagious mammitis germs were picked up by sound cows while lying on the ground, the authorities at the Weraroa Training Farm drew some wet sacks over the ground under some trees where tho cattle usually sheltered. After the operation the sacks were found to contain contagious mammitis germs. Mr. Day said that since the discovery of the prophylactic was announced in the Herald in December ho had received hundreds of letters from ail parts of New Zealand appealing for the inoculation of cows. Some of the letters were heartbreaking, and gave some idea of how prevalent the disease is in the country. The promoters of tho vaccine were anxious to help tho farmers. It would take possibly two years for the Agricultural Department to test tho vaccine and be in a position to make a pronouncement on the subject. The promoters were satisfied as to its efficacy, and referred inquirers to any farmer who had had his cows treated. They had not asked any farmer to have his cows inoculated, but believed it was for the good of the community that the herds should be freed of the disease. The meeting unanimously agreed to organise the Gordonton district. A committee was elected, and steps were taken for 2000 cows to be inoculated.