226 BACTERIA. 



most carefully examined. In cases of tubercular disease of the udder these 

 glands are invariably affected, are unequal in size, and the larger one, 

 corresponding to the affected quarter, is usually considerably indurated. 



(/) Careful auscultation is carried out at least once a month. The fore- 

 foot of the side that is being examined being always well advanced. The 

 normal expiration sound lasts half as long as the normal inspiration, and 

 if this rhythm is deviated from in any way, a further and thorough examina- 

 tion of the lungs should always be made. 



(g) The examination is continued still further if the slightest suspicion of 

 tubercular disease is aroused by the above investigation, and an examination 

 per rectum is made, with the object of determining whether there is any 

 tubercle of the peritoneum or not. As the onset of the disease in the udder 

 is so rapid, and as, as yet, it is held by most observers that the bacilli may 

 make their appearance in the milk, even where the udder is not directly 

 affected, it follows that if there is the slightest suspicion of the existence of 

 tubercular disease in a cow, the milk from that animal should not be put 

 into the milk supply, and as a matter of fact, on the Danish farms above re- 

 ferred to, it is not sent to town, but it is either thrown out, or after being 

 most thoroughly disinfected by prolonged boiling, is given to the pigs. 



(/?) The farmer keeps a record of the quantity of milk given by each cow, 

 and a note of what is done with it ; and any milk that is put out of the 

 supply by the veterinary surgeon or by the farmer himself, on account of 

 suspected disease, is paid for by the company, or the difference between the 

 full value and the value as pig food. 



Any other inflammatory condition of the udder is carefully noted, and 

 even then the milk is withdrawn from the regular supply. 



(?) A small quantity of milk is always drawn off by the veterinary sur- 

 geon, who carefully notes its colour. If it is too thin and watery looking he 

 immediately condemns it ; whilst if it loses the peculiar blue tinge that 

 freshly-drawn milk from a healthy cow almost invariably has, and takes on 

 even a slight yellow tinge instead, the milk from the infected quarter is not 

 used for any purposes, although the milk from the other quarters may be 

 used, after being thoroughly boiled, for the feeding of pigs. 



The authorities of the association insist rigidly on the fortnightly in- 

 spection, because it has been observed that very great swelling may appear 

 as a sign of udder tuberculosis in from ten to fourteen days, as in this posi- 

 tion the onset of the tuberculous disease is usually much more rapid than in 

 the lungs, in which the process in a very large majority of cases appears to be 

 far more chronic in character. In all cases, the condition of the glands 

 must be systematically and carefully observed. 



In the light of recent events, too, it is to be hoped that Koch's tuberculin 

 may be utilized in the diagnosis of tuberculosis in cattle, and that satis- 

 factory results may thus be obtained. 



In consequence of the rapid onset of the disease diag- 

 nosis without regular inspection is almost impossible, 

 and it is probable that the swelling of the udder is only 

 one of the later manifestations of the disease, the glands 

 above the udder apparently being a far more reliable 

 index. Professor M'Fadyean and I were so much struck 



