512 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



of " primary abdominal tuberculosis." The moment one begins 

 to study the details difficulties arise. Six of the cases died of 

 generalised tuberculosis. Three others died of tubercular 

 meningitis. So far as the writer has been able to ascertain, 

 there is simply no evidence in support of the statement that 

 these cases of tuberculosis in children were primarily abdominal. 

 But we must pass on. 



According to the Report the crux of the case as showing the 

 conveyance of tubercular disease by means of cows' milk is 

 to be found in these twenty-nine cases. They are classified 

 as follows : In fourteen cases the bacillus was of the " bovine " 

 type ; in thirteen cases the bacillus was of the " human " type ; 

 in tzvo cases both " bovine " and " human " bacilli were found. 

 The precision of the classification is quite uncanny. Not a 

 single case in which it is difficult to classify the bacillus found ! 

 Not one case in which the bacillus behaves in some respects 

 as a " human " type in other respects as a " bovine " type ! 

 " C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas la guerre." 



Omitting the two cases of mixed infection, we have to deal 

 with twenty-seven cases. In the Report itself it is claimed 

 that in these cases of " primary abdominal tuberculosis " in 

 children the " bovine " bacillus is rather more common than 

 the "human" bacillus — a strange basis indeed for an argument 

 directed all the time to proving that cows' milk is the only 

 likely means by which the bovine bacillus can reach the child. 



To define the situation in actual terms, let us take a single 

 child from the list of fourteen cases. She is a little girl aged 

 eight years and her hypothetical name shall be Emily Johnson. 

 Emily Johnson is riddled with tuberculosis (" bovine " bacillus). 

 She is coughing up or otherwise expelling from her body millions 

 of bovine bacilli. Her little sister sleeps in the same room with 

 her. Her constant companion in the daytime is Tommy Smith. 



The doctor examines the sputum or other materies morbi. If 

 he find the " human " bacillus he will be alive to the dangers to 

 which the companions of Emily Johnson are exposed ; but if he 

 find the " bovine " bacillus (the more virulent type, be it noted) 

 he will inform those concerned that there is really no danger. 

 Tommy Smith will never contract tuberculosis from Emily 

 Johnson. But the reader is incredulous. Is it a fact that the 

 Commissioners state that children suffering from tuberculosis 

 are not dangerous to their companions provided that the bacillus 



