The Opunake Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1897. CONSUMPTION IN CATTLE.

Opunake Times, Volume VII, Issue 332, 12 November 1897, Page 2

The Opunake Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1897. CONSUMPTION IN CATTLE.

In the last number of the Nineteen Century (says the Wanganui Herald) there is a very able and interesting paper on the above subject from the pen of Mr James Long, who deals with it in its connection with the public health. Mr Long particularly draws attention to the fact that this disease is more prevalent among dairy cattle than any other ailment, and that the milk from tuberculous cows is highly calculated to spread the disease to human beings. Owing to the prevalence of the disease at Home, ha is of opinion that there is disease in one or more cows in every dairy herd in England, and pointed out that the Royal Commission which sat in 1896 reported, among other things, that it was shown in evidence that healthy animals can acquire the disease from tuberculous animals, and that milk containing tuberculous matter is responsible in a larger degree than the meat of a tuberculous animal for disease in man which is derived from the consumption of animal food. The commission came to the conclusion that although the disease may he communicated to man by the consumption of insufficiently cooked meat in which tubercule is present, a large portion of the meat of diseased cattle may be consumed without risk if it is not contaminaied by immediate contact with the diseased portion of the carcase, and if that portion is completely removed and destroyed. How the Commission arrived at this extraordinary opinion we do not know, but we do n it think that any sensible person would eat any portion of a beast that showed signs of the disease. It would be too repulsive to the feelings of any sensible person to do such a thing, and we feel certain the law should forbid any portions of a diseased beast being sold to the public for food. The germs of disease are not confined to the exact locality where tubercules are formed, but permeate the whole animal, and thus render both its milk and meat dangerous as food. A test of the blood of tuberculous animals has demonstrated that the bacilli of the disease can be detected therein, and that they can also be discovered in apparently healthy tissues of diseased animals which are only slightly affected. and, according to the report of the above Commission fit for human consumption. There is only one safeguard worthy of the name, and that is the destruction of the whole of every diseased animal, otherwise the public health wdl go on suffering as at prepresent. The Sanitary Congress which sat last year recommended, among other things, that public abbatoirs be established in every district, and that their use be compulsory. This is good as far as it goes, but it should have gone on to say that all animals slaughtered thereat should bo inspected by a legally qualified veterinary surgeon as in New Zealand, as such a safeguard is the only efficient one that can be devised. Of course, the condition should be * added as in this colony that all meat from animals found to be diseased shall be destroyed. A further recommendation that no animal suffering from disease should be offered for sale either privately or publicly would also have improved the value of the recommendations, as, judging from the frequent prosecutions for. such a disregard of the public health which occurr in New Zealand, it is very evident owners are always to be found who will, if they can, get rid of their tuberculosis cattle before they are condemned either by the stock inspectors or at the abattoirs, The Congress recommended that butchers be compensated for condemned carcases under certain conditions. We think the owners of condemned dairy cattle should be included, as it is hardiy likely the latter will report disease until they cannot help it if the whole of the loss is to fall on them, Mr Long points out that in the State of Massachusetts the deaths from consumption have fallen in the past ten years from 31.9 to 22.7 per thousand, owing to the precautions taken by the State Board of Agriculture. In many of the other States also steps have been taken to stamp out the disease among cattle and other animals, with good results. Partial compensation is paid for condemned animals. In Denmark, where dairying is one of the chief industries, the State is taking every precaution against the milk of infected cows being manufactured into butter, and not before it was time, as tuberculosis is very prevalent among the dairy cows of that country, where, out of 54,000 animals tested, from 20 to 50 per cent were found to be diseased, whereas out of 132,000 animals slaughtered in the public abbatioirs of Copenhagen only about 18 per cent were iuberculou j . In London and New York it is has been estimated that 25 per cent of the cattle slaughtered were tubercu'ous, From the above it will be seen that New Zealand is in the van in the matter of meat inspection, and that if the Slaughter and Inspecting Bill now before Parliament becomes law the meat supply of the colony will soon be beyond suspicion. .The same should he insisted on with regard to the supply of milk, butter and cheese, as these last are infinitely more likely to spread consumption through the human population than m -at, as they are partaken of without having been subject: d to heat sufficient to destroy the bacillus of tuberculosis, and consequently, highly favorable to the conveyance of the disease into the households of their unsuspecting consumers.

A reward is offered for a lost canary. Mr M. J. Brennan notifies a couple of desirable dairy farms for sale. An impounding notice appears in another column. Mr Newton King notifies entries for his Rahotu stock sale on Wednesday, At Greyraouth it has rained almost continuously for five weeks. Mr Rua Roa notifies that the services of Young Jock will be placed at the disposal of breeders this season. We understand one of the sports up Omata way landed £BOO over Waiuku’s win in the New Zealand cup. A general meeting of the members of the Namu Hack Racing Club is called for Saturday, November 20th and will be held at Knowles’ Hotel. A full attendance is requested as the business is important. The point reserved by the Chief Justice in case of Thomas Looney and Annie Looney, who were charged at Wellington Supreme Court with wounding with intent at Feilding was argued in the Appeal Court on Tuesday. The Court unanimously directed that a verdict of not guilty be entered. Lousis Hintze, licensee of the Masonic Hotel, Wanganui, was fined LlO and costs L 4 ss, for permitting drunkenness on his premises on Ist November. The ease arose out of the findingof the body of a man named Gough, by the riverside. Gough, with others had been drinking at the hotel. A correspondent writes.—On Wedueoday, a terriffic whirlwind passed over Puuiho which lifted a two roomed cottage bodily off the piles, and carried the roof a distance of ten chains or more. Hone Popata, the owner, and four other natives were inside the cottage but miraculously escaped without injury. A dog which was lying near the chimney was killed. A case is fixed to be heard at the Supreme Court, Blenheim, on 25th instant, in which Mr C. H. Mills, M.H.R., claims £IOOO damages each against the Otago Daily Times Company and the Christchurch Press Company for publishing an extract from Northern newspapers in reference to the removal of Constable Jeffreys from Picton. The defence of the journals is that they simply published what had appeared in other papers, and that they were privileged. Application is to be made to the Chief Justice in Wellington to adjourn the cases till after the session. Mr Jellicoe appears for Mr Mills and Sir Robert Stout for the newspapers. Constable Cooper, who has been appointed to Opunake, arrived on Wednesday with his family. The Wairarapa Daily Times says : “ Constable C. Cooper of Masterton, one of the smartest, most painstaking, and conscientious police officers ever stationed in this district, has received notice of promotion to the charge of the Opunake Police Station. We congratulate Mr Cooper on the change, although sorry to lose his services.” The Pahiatua Herald says “ Constable Cooper, late of Pahiatua, has received wellearned promotion. He has been appointed to take charge of the Opunake police station. His host of friends in this district will be delighted to hear that such an efficient and conscientious officer has at last received promotion.” The Wairarapa Star says : 11 We are pleased to be able to record the promotion of Constable Charles Cooper, of Masterton, to the charge of the Opunake Station. Constable Cooper is an old and efficient officer who understands his work and does it fearlessly. We wish him success in his new station. He will be greatly missed in musical circles in Masterton. His successor will be Constable Warnford,” The public are directed to a special clearing out sale of drapery and clothing this month previous to arrival of new spring goods next month. Just opened, another lot of travellers’ samples, and are now offering at bargains. Special clearing out lines this month to make room for new spring goods to arrive shortly. Some bargains will be offered this month. Mr O, Cummins says he must reduce stock to make room for the new goods. The public are respectfully invited to call and see prices. Dr W. B. Rush, Oakland, Fla:—“I employ Sander and Sons Pure Volatile Eucalypti Extract as a local application in chronic inflammations and rheumatic pains ; internally in nephritic as well as in pulmonary, gastric and vesical catarrh. It is sometimes difficult to obtain the genuine article. I employed different other preparations, they had no therapeutic value and no effects. In one case the effects were similar to the oil camphora, the objectionable action of which is well known.” This is certainly a most striking evidence of the superiority of this excellent preparation over any other.—lnsist getting Sander and Sons Eucalypti Extract, or else you will be supplied with worthless oils.