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Archiver > NEBRHeritage > 2001-03 > 0983441963


From: "Ballou, Michael" <>
Subject: RE: [NEBRHeritage-L] Depression era Gov't action
Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2001 05:19:23 -0500


I don't know for sure, but I'd bet they were destroyed because of
tuberculosis.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis was identified by Robert Koch in 1882 as a
causative agent of Tuberculosis. There are other forms of Mycobacterium that
cause human disease, but the two that cause tuberculosis are Mycobacterium
tuberculosis and Mycobacterium bovis. The most common of the two is the
bovine strain. The bovine strain primarily infects cattle, but it is also
capable of causing human disease.

Bovine tuberculosis in humans -
Causation: ingestion (or inhalation) of Mycobacterium bovis from milk, milk
products (or inhalation of droplet nuclei from or other animals)
Population at Risk: dairy cattle workers, persons ingesting raw milk .
Agricultural Activities Resulting in Infection: any handling of infected
animals, especially stabled animals (resulting in pulmonary TB)
Infection in Humans : identical to tuberculosis from M. tuberculosis

In 1910, 35 States and territories required tuberculin testing of all
entering cattle.

1929 - The government increased funds for tuberculosis testing of cattle.
Testing at this time discovered many herds which were found 100 percent
reactive.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: Connie Snyder [mailto:]
Sent: Monday, February 19, 2001 4:39 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [NEBRHeritage-L] Depression era Gov't action


Could this have been something like "foot & mouth" disease? Was that around
during the depression, and wasn't it handled in the same way that the "mad
cow" disease is being handled in Europe today? It had to be destroyed in
order to control it's being spread further.

Connie

Laura Anderson wrote:

> I am always asking new found relatives to please send me remembrances of
> their childhoods, and awhile ago I received the following. It really
> disturbed me, and I wonder if anyone can shed more light on this subject.
> Why would this happen? I don't have a date for it, but it was sometime
> after the Depression.
> =======================
>
> He remembers the day the "Feds" came and used a bulldozer to dig a hole
> deep enough to bury his beautiful herd [Black Aberdeen Angus]. With
> Pelagia and Grandma on their knees, crying and praying - and Grandpa
> pleading, his cattle were herded into the trench, shot and then covered
> with dirt. Grandpa begged, he would butcher and give all the meat to any
> orphanage, "Just don't bury them, please". Hard times, the depression,
> then the drought and a shortage of feed prompted this government action.
> =====================
>
> Thanks for any enlightenment. I didn't learn about this kind of thing in
> school!
>
> Laura



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