Health and Temperance by C. P. B.

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 25, 1889

Health and Temperance.

By C. P. B.

DISEASED CATTLE.

SEVERAL times within the last two years the SIGNS has had occasion to warn its readers against diseased meat and dairy products, and notwithstanding it is a most unpleasant subject, fidelity to the public again compels us to assist in sounding the alarm. Last fall the papers in this city and in San Francisco called the attention of the public to the fact that large numbers of animals suffering from the most contagious diseases were being slaughtered in San Francisco, and their flesh sold for food in the markets of that and neighboring cities. The publication of the facts caused quite a sensation at the time, but in a few weeks the matter was forgotten and the nefarious business went on about as usual.

The San Francisco Examiner has, however, been investigating the matter anew, and in its issue of February 11, publishes some most alarming facts, relative to the sale of diseased meats. Reverting to some of the facts developed last fall, it says:—

"Even human beings were not exempt from the plague, and many deaths were reported as the result of eating the meat of the diseased animals. Workmen employed in skinning the dead animals were inoculated with the poison with fatal results in many cases, and in others slow recovery followed a lingering illness only by reason of the most careful medical treatment. Within a few hours' time from its first appearance in a herd of cattle, hundreds died without showing the least symptom of the disease until they fell to the ground in their dying struggles. As the epidemic spread, the stock ranchers became alarmed, and to save themselves from absolute ruin, hurried their dying herds beneath the butcher's ax. Meat literally alive with myriads of the deadly bacilli was sold in the markets of San Francisco, and the lives of thousands endangered."

Of the present condition of affairs the Examiner says:—

"Many pieces of meat which come from the slaughter-houses of Butchertown to-day, reek with the germs of pestilence and disease. Cattle and sheep dying with consumption, Texas fever, and the deadly malignant tumor known as 'big-jaw,' are butchered and sent on their mission, sowing the seeds of death through the city."

But while all will admit that the idea of eating the flesh of diseased animals is by no means pleasant, the impression very generally prevails that the actual danger of contracting disease is very small, nothing, indeed, if the meat is properly cooked. This idea is, however, erroneous, as will appear from the following relative to the germs of anthrax (Texas fever), one of the most common cattle diseases in this State. The Examiner says:—

"These bacilli are practically immortal. When the animal in whose blood they exist dies, the parasites dry up and drop into nearly invisible dust. The dust collects into little round masses, which acquire a very hard skin of such a character that though the masses should be boiled for hours or days the boiling will not kill the germs. At any time, under suitable conditions, they will become revivified and ready for death-dealing. Thus they are, to all intents and purposes, immortal and indestructible. Many attacks of anthrax are attributable to the indiscriminate handling of animals which have died from this contagion, as well as to their careless burial. In the latter case the bacilli will be brought to the surface by earth-worms, sometimes a year after the carcass has been buried. There are cases on record of dogs, after feeding on anthrax meat, biting sheep and thus inoculating them. Flies fed on anthrax blood have absorbed enough in their proboscides to convey the germ to the blood of other animals."

This extract makes no direct mention of the danger of contagion to human beings, but, speaking to an Examiner reporter of the danger of eating the flesh of diseased animals, Dr. William F. Egan, veterinary surgeon to the Board of Health, said:—

"There is no doubt in my mind that great numbers of persons are killed by diseases contracted in this manner, yet ascribed to other causes. Who, for instance, would think that a person dying of consumption had contracted the disease from a piece of steak? yet a post-mortem examination would disclose the same tubercles and the same bacilli as are found in a consumptive cow."

This introduces to our notice another grave danger, namely, that of contracting consumption from using milk from animals suffering from disease. Again we quote from the Examiner:—

"It is the dairy-fed cattle which are nearly all found in different stages of tuberculosis. They, it seems, are not sold to the butchers until they are in an almost dying condition and no longer fit for dairy use. Of a single band of cattle brought from the dairies, it is not at all unusual for the inspectors to seize three-fourths. Such numbers have been condemned that the butchers are loth to take the chances of loss in buying dairy-fed stock, but the dairymen who prefer to take the risk of the cattle being condemned rather than the certainty of a death from natural causes, have their stock killed on commission. In that case if any are condemned the loss falls on the producer."

The great question with the cattle-men seems to be how to avoid financial loss, but what shall be said of those who use the milk and eat the flesh of these diseased cows? The danger of contagion from diseased milk is even greater than from eating of cooked flesh, for a large part of the milk used, especially by children, is consumed without cooking, while meat is generally subjected to sufficient heat to destroy the germs of any disease, except it be anthrax. Certainly it is not putting it too strong to say that it is the duty of every man to see that his family uses neither meat nor dairy products except such as are above suspicion of disease. To enforce a rule of this kind may require some denial of appetite for a time, but a wise Creator has so bountifully provided us with fruits, grains, and vegetables, that none would suffer even if the supply of animal food were entirely cut off.