We are told by the highest authority that this disease
is communicable to man by animals, and to animals by
man, and that men having a tendency to this disease
must not be employed to care in any way for our cattle.
But has such important sanitation so far progressed that
anything has been said about the army of men and women
afflicted with this disease in its various incipient stages,
and numerous ramifications, who prepare food and care
for human beings?
MILK AND THE COW. 189
Viewing the situation in its various bearings, the expense
incurred through the elaborate housing, the unnatural
feeding, the greater outlay for extra care because of pala-
tial surroundings, the close confinement in their stables,
with but a limited supply of fresh air, sunlight and exer-
cise — three of the prime essentials to good health — and
last, but not least, the heavy expenses attending sickness
and death in the human family, the continual losses of
stock, and to sum up all, the terrible slaughter that is at
present threatening to nearly exterminate the bovine
race, has it paid to force and stimulate to the utmost
capacity the production of milk, thus furnishing the con-
ditions that have produced this destructive contagion ?
Subject the human race to the same conditions, and it
would soon be exterminated.
With a view to thoroughly understanding the condition
of "well-kept" cows the writer visited a large barn where
there were many of fine breed and illustrious pedigree.
They were doubtless as well cared for as the majority of
cattle that are turned out to pasture during the summer
and get an occasional airing during the winter. The
unceasing movements of these cows as they stood fastened
by a most uncomfortable wooden invention, and the poison-
laden atmosphere of the tightly closed barn, were in
painful contrast with the bracing air and glowing sunshine
outside.
Their special virtues were detailed ; the large amount
of milk and the quality of cream produced for the creamery :
the quantity of food allowed them and its cost, and how
extremely fond they were of ensilage that the obliging
farmer tossed out upon the floor for my inspection, hot
and steaming, like a kettle of boiling water upon the stove.
1 90* THE FAT OF THE LAND.
"And this is the result of the half dried cornstalks you
were packing in the silo last fall"? "Yes, and it's the
sweetest, most economical food we can give them, and
they are so fond of it, they would nibble on it all day if
permitted." I picked up a large handful to examine and
said : "Yes, they like this alcoholic ensilage, just as the
dram drinker likes his dram. Economy in food it may
be, but waste of health and life."
It is no longer a wonder to me that diseases have
increased as artificial* foods have multiplied ; no longer a
mystery that the temper&nce outlook is at times discour-
aging, when the vapor arising from the "most economical
food for cows " is almost enough to intoxicate one unac-
customed to the use of stimulants. Daily, babies and
invalids are depending for their lives on the milk from
cows fed on a food so stimulating they cannot be " per-
mitted " to nibble on it all day.
Yet when the barefoot boy drove his cows to pasture in
the blessed old time way, they nibbled the juicy grass all
day without injury and came leisurely home at night with
udders dripping with milk which in those days had no
suspicion of tuberculosis.
Page 75
Presented as published in 1896. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
We are told by the highest authority that this disease is communicable to man by animals, and to animals by man, and that men having a tendency to this disease must not be employed to care in any way for our cattle. But has such important sanitation so far progressed that anything has been said about the army of men and women afflicted with this disease in its various incipient stages, and numerous ramifications, who prepare food and care for human beings?
Viewing the situation in its various bearings, the expense incurred through the elaborate housing, the unnatural feeding, the greater outlay for extra care because of palatial surroundings, the close confinement in their stables, with but a limited supply of fresh air, sunlight and exercise — three of the prime essentials to good health — and last, but not least, the heavy expenses attending sickness and death in the human family, the continual losses of stock, and to sum up all, the terrible slaughter that is at present threatening to nearly exterminate the bovine race, has it paid to force and stimulate to the utmost capacity the production of milk, thus furnishing the conditions that have produced this destructive contagion ? Subject the human race to the same conditions, and it would soon be exterminated.
With a view to thoroughly understanding the condition of "well-kept" cows the writer visited a large barn where there were many of fine breed and illustrious pedigree. They were doubtless as well cared for as the majority of cattle that are turned out to pasture during the summer and get an occasional airing during the winter. The unceasing movements of these cows as they stood fastened by a most uncomfortable wooden invention, and the poison-laden atmosphere of the tightly closed barn, were in painful contrast with the bracing air and glowing sunshine outside.
Their special virtues were detailed ; the large amount of milk and the quality of cream produced for the creamery : the quantity of food allowed them and its cost, and how extremely fond they were of ensilage that the obliging farmer tossed out upon the floor for my inspection, hot and steaming, like a kettle of boiling water upon the stove.
"And this is the result of the half dried cornstalks you were packing in the silo last fall"? "Yes, and it's the sweetest, most economical food we can give them, and they are so fond of it, they would nibble on it all day if permitted." I picked up a large handful to examine and said : "Yes, they like this alcoholic ensilage, just as the dram drinker likes his dram. Economy in food it may be, but waste of health and life."
It is no longer a wonder to me that diseases have increased as artificial* foods have multiplied ; no longer a mystery that the temper&nce outlook is at times discouraging, when the vapor arising from the "most economical food for cows " is almost enough to intoxicate one unaccustomed to the use of stimulants. Daily, babies and invalids are depending for their lives on the milk from cows fed on a food so stimulating they cannot be " permitted " to nibble on it all day.
Yet when the barefoot boy drove his cows to pasture in the blessed old time way, they nibbled the juicy grass all day without injury and came leisurely home at night with udders dripping with milk which in those days had no suspicion of tuberculosis.