Bang's bacillus, a soil fertility problem

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Chapter 23 of " Soil Grass and Cancer " by Voisin is titled, " The

manganese of the soil and immunity of the cow against Bang's

bacillus " .

Voisin states that experiments at the University of Wisconsin showed

that, " in cows affected by brucellosis, spectrophotometric analysis

of the blood and of the pituitary gland showed reduced concentrations

of manganese (as well as of copper and cobalt). " Experiments were

done " ... to ascertain the influence of supplements in the ration of

trace elements, particularly of manganese, on bovine brucellosis. "

The experiments resulted in the conclusion that there was " ... no

justification for the claims which have been made concerning the

favourable prophylactic and therapeutic influences exercised by

supplements of manganese salts in the ration on bovine brucellosis. "

Experiments were also done at the University of Missouri with

infected animals, but in this case, " One group of cows was fed only

with feed produced on a soil which had received suitable mineral

supplements, in particular several trace elements-including

manganese. "

" All of the calves, which were born after their parents had received

food produced on the supplemented soil, were absolutely free from the

Bang's bacillus, although being continually in contact with infected

animals. "

Voisin quotes two conclusions from Albrecht, " Brucellosis suggests

itself as an illustration of our undue emphasis on symptoms and

pathology, while neglecting causes. " and " Brucellosis is not an

enfectious disease in the strict sense of the word, but in fact is a

deficiency disease. "

In explaining the different results of maganese in the ration with

manganese in the soil, Voisin explains, " The mineral elements of the

soil are in fact transformed by the plant into organic compounds

which have a dietetic value very different from the same element

under its mineral form. "

Chi