Tuberculosis in Cattle. ii 



attains to its full intrauterine development. It may be affected 

 from the tuberculous, generative organs of the dam, but here 

 again abortion is liable to cut short the existence of the embryo. 

 In spite of all drawbacks a certain small proportion of the off- 

 spring are affected with tuberculosis and come to the full period 

 of gestation. In case of infection from the dam the disease is 

 especially liable to attack the liver in which so much of the 

 placental blood at once circulates. Cases of the kind are recorded 

 by Malvox, Brouwier, Bang, Lungwitz, Barlund and Rieck, and 

 in the tuberculous herd of a large public institution in New 

 York several instances were noted. 



The infrequenc}^ of such an occurrence may, however, be in- 

 ferred from the fact that in 800,000 calves slaughtered only 7 

 were found tuberculous. 



INDESTRUCTIBILITY OF THE BACILLUS 



TUBERCULOSIS. 



The bacillus may be said to be capable of surviving drying, 

 the action of water, and putrefaction. It is destroyed by heat 

 (162° to 212° F), sunlight, or in one month by heavy salting. 



CONDITIONS WHICH FAVOR TUBERCULOSIS. 



A personal predisposition to tuberculosis is a prime requisite, 

 and this is rendered hereditary by close and inbreeding and 

 breeding in line. Hence the great danger of tuberculosis among 

 improved breeds. Again whatever undermines the health or 

 stamina, such as breeding before maturity, breeding and heavy 

 milking, breeding the old and debilitated, an insufficient ration, 

 an ill-balanced ration which stimulates unduly the secretion of 

 milk, ill health, local inflammations in the air passages, lack of 

 ventilation, constant stabling in dark, damp, undrained stables 

 and wet soils, greatl}' favor the reception of the bacillus. The 

 impure air, lack of sunshine and accumulation of the germs in 

 large cities make a destructive combination. In France, cities of 

 under 10,000 lose 1.8 per cent yearh' from pulmonary tuberculosis, 

 while Paris with its 2,000,000 loses 4.9 per cent. In Vienna 

 hospitals 85 per cent of the bodies show tubercular lesions. In 



