Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 83.djvu/589

Rh anthrax, which they contracted from handling the wool taken from sheep that had died of that disease; likewise many were infected with foot-and-mouth disease which was transmitted to them through the milk of infected cows. There are a few reports that diphtheria has been contracted by the pet cat from the sick child; that birds, especially parrots, have contracted tuberculosis from their attendants; and that poliomyelitis has been transmitted to dogs; but these reports are few in number. There is considerable literature on the transmission of tuberculosis from man to fowls, but the evidence is largely circumstantial. In recent years, large quantities of human tuberculous material have been fed to fowls with negative results. In like manner, the reports of the transmission of tuberculosis from man to cattle are based on circumstantial evidence, and they were made before the knowledge of the varieties of tubercle bacteria had been acquired.

In addition to the infectious diseases, there are a number of parasites which infest people through the medium of pet animals and meat.

The facts seem to be clear that the danger in the inter-communicability of diseases is from animals to man and not from man to animals. This means that in the protection of animals they should be cared for in such a way that their diseases can not pass from one to another, and that those who attend diseased animals should take the necessary precautions to protect themselves. The very definite knowledge of the cause of the communicable diseases makes it possible to minimize the danger to man in caring for infected animals.

To be able to properly care for animals one must understand their physiological requirements. For economic reasons several species of animals have become so numerous and so restricted in their liberties that they must rely entirely upon man to furnish them food and shelter. Presumably they have lost, through continuous living in an artificial environment, much of their original sagacity for self-preservation, and it is not unlikely that they are acquiring a certain amount of adaptation to the new conditions. This intensifies the necessity of inquiring into the best methods to follow in order to give dumb creation the physical protection that rightly belongs to it.

The protection of animals is not different in principle from the protection of man. The problems encountered are similar to those in ascertaining what is best for the physical well-being of the human species. If we could trace the evolution of the present knowledge of hygiene and the physiological requirements of man from his early existence until now, we should find that the influences most effective in bringing about our present conception of living conditions are the results of the stud}" of those physical and biological sciences which combined make up what is known as the medical curriculum. These sciences have interpreted the needs of the body and brought to our assistance the