TYPHOID IN CATTLE. ALLEGED IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1994, 12 May 1892, Page 11

TYPHOID IN CATTLE. ALLEGED IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.

A veterinary surgeon of long experience in the treatment of horses and cattle, Mr A. Hamilton, has informed a reporter of this journal that he has made what he believes to be an important discovery. From time to time he has had to treat cows for what he has no doubt is nothing less than typhoid fever. Some time ago this disease was very common amongst cattle here, and there were most cases shortly after the close of the exhibition, and at the time when the number of typhoid patients in the Dunedin Hospital was the greatest. Of the identity of the fever the cows Buffered from with typhoid as it develops in human beings Mr Hamilton has no manner of doubt. The symptoms -are similar, and in each case the fever has run the well defined course characteristic of typhoid, while the success of the treatment pursued supplied supplementary evidence of some value regarding the correctness of the diagnosis. At present Mr Hamilton has but one case of the kind under treatment, and that not a strongly marked one, but the cases have been so numerous, and their correspondence so exact, as to leave no doubt in his mind as to the nature of the disease. In every case Mr Hamilton directed that the milk of the diseased cows should not be sold or used, and in most of the cases this direction was probably followed, but not in all, the matter of peremptorily stopping the sale of such milk not being within his province. The milk from the fever-stricken cows, Mr Hamilton observed, was extremely poor in quality, quite different from rich, healthy milk, and the fact suggested a careful examination of the fluid. Taking a small glass phial, Mr Hamilton drew some milk from one of the cows and corked it tightly instantaneously. On reaching home he subjected this to an examination under the microscope, comparing it with healthy milk examined under the same instrument. The difference proved to be most remarkable. The healthy milk presented a smooth, even surface, the milk cells being regular in size and form j but the unhealthy milk showed a broken surface, with uneven cells, some small and some very large, and near the large cells there were microbes which presented the appearanceof sectionsof fine twigs, and being altogether different from anythingdiscoverable in milk from healthy cows. Mr Hamilton believes that these were the microbes .of typhoid, and if that surmise be correct the discovery must prove of interest, And may prove of value. Tho matter is, doubtless, one to which the attention of men of science will be directed. A sample of the milk was, we may mention, sent to Dr Coughtrey, who, on examination with a powerful microscope, found the milk to contain baccilli, but was unable to say that they were typhoid germs, and did not regard the matter as important, for, so far as he was aware, they did not differ from what is to be usually found in milk.

We have given above the substance of an intorview with Mr Hamilton, and, without further comment, merely suggest that it establishes a case for further scientific investigation.