Greetings! Welcome back. We are into Part 2 of this very important topic regarding animals and disease.
Animal and Human Diseases
“Although disease processes have affected men and animals since prehistoric times, certain circumstances of civilization have definitely permitted many of the diseases due to bacteria to become more prevalent as civilization advanced. Crowded conditions of living, artificial housing, unnatural food, pampering of the physically unfit, and the opportunity for pathogenic bacteria to be transported great distances within a comparatively short time, all contribute to the difficulty of controlling infectious diseases among animals and human beings. The fact that many of the most important bacterial diseases of animals may occasion serious sickness or even death in human beings makes it imperative that knowledge of the transmissibility of animal diseases be better understood by both the physician and the vegetarian veterinarian…”
“When it is realized that animals are susceptible to a list of diseases almost as large and as varied as those which affect human beings, the general public will better appreciate that there are other than economic reasons for the control and eradication of animal diseases.
In this discussion no attempt will be made to deal specifically with all of the diseases of animals which are transmissible to man.”
He then gives the following partial list of animal diseases communicable to man.
(A) Diseases of domestic animals and birds
Tuberculosis Swine erysipelas
Anthrax Cow-pox
Foot and mouth disease Glanders
Malta fever and abortion Rabies
disease Psittacosis
Milk sickness Certain parasite diseases
(B) Diseases affecting rabbits and small rodents
Plague Rat-bite fever
Tularemia Rocky Mountain spotted fever
Infectious jaundice
Bacterial Infections Common to Animals and Man
“Man is indebted to the animals for food furs clothing leather fertilizer, and medicines, besides work and companionship, but on the other side of the ledger, many human diseases are traceable directly or remotely to contact with diseased animals or their by-products.
“The publicity given in recent years to research on brucellosis, psittacosis, rabies, tularemia, encephalomyelitis, and other animal maladies transmissible to man has called attention to the fact that diseased animals are potential hazards to human health. The intimate associations between man and his household pets and his direct contact with other domestic animals create a public health problem of universal importance, and the necessity for a closer bond between physicians and veterinarians is becoming apparent. Many physicians are now making use of the scientific facts established by veterinary research workers in the field of animal diseases.“Lower animals may harbor four general types of diseases common to man: (1) Infections caused by animal parasites, of which trichinosis, acquired from eating raw pork, is an example; (2) virus diseases, such as is encephalomyelitis, or sleeping sickness, in equines and man; (3) mycotic, or fungus diseases, illustrated by actinomy-cosis, or lumpy jaw; (4) Infections of bacterial origin. The fourth group will be considered first, and a discussion of the parasitic diseases will follow. Virus and fungus diseases are not included in this article.” Then follows a discussion of several diseases.
Quote to Note:
” The animals are diseased, and by partaking of their flesh, we plant the seeds of disease in our own tissue and blood. Then when exposed to the changes in a malarious atmosphere, these are more sensibly felt; also when we are exposed to prevailing epidemics and contagious diseases, the system is not in a condition to resist the disease.” CCh 229.4
Don’t forget to come back next week for more lessons in the School of Health! May God Bless!