320 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTUKE. 



••It is, liowever, to l)t' iiulict-d lliat tlu'sc animals were fi-d witii two (lill'crent lots 

 of tubeiiulous meat, and it is impossible to decide whicli lot was most infective. 

 But there is no doubt of the fact that cooking the moat in the manner described failed 

 to destroy its infeetivity." 



'•In another series of experiments, four lots of guinea pigs, four in each lot, were 

 fed on tuberculous material which had been cooked by being placed in cold water, the 

 meat having been cut into slices half an inch thick and two inches square. The vessel 

 containing the meat was put over a small furnace, and the water was gradually 

 brought to the boiling jioint. The meat was kept boiling for fifteen minutes in one 

 case and thirty minutes in the next instance. Two lots of guinea pigs were fed 

 several times on the nuiat which had been kept boiling for liftecn minutes, and the 

 other two lots with the meat which had been cooked thirty minutes. All of tliera 

 were killed after several weeks and found to be free from all traces of tubercle. It 

 .appears, therefore, that thoiough cooking is eU'ectual in destroying the activity of 

 tubercle virus. But it is also evident that such tliorough cooking as was effected in 

 this case could not be applied to huge joints, nor to any kind of meat without 

 destroying its flavor." 



Other experiments have contributed much to this interesting topic. Two hundred 

 rabbits and two hundred guinea pigs were inoculated by Perroncito with the muscles 

 of tuberculous cattle in various stages. None of the animals developed tuberculosis. 

 Nocard has fed dogs, pigs, calves, guinea pigs and kittens with the inusclcs of 

 tuberculous cows. No infection followed. A calf si.x weeks old was fed by Galtier 

 with eight pounds of raw muscles from a condemned tuberculous cow without producing 

 tuberculosis. Galtier has also injected fifteen guinea pigs and sheep with muscles of 

 tuberculous cows and has been able to induce tuberculosis. Kastner, iising muscle 

 juice from twelve cows slightly tuberculous, inoculated sixteen rabbits in tlie jieri- 

 toneal cavity with no results. 



During November, 1899, tests were made of tuberculous meat in the form of glands 

 which were chopped fine, macerated with milk, and fed. There were five pens of pigs 

 about six weeks old. Each pen held two pigs. Pens 1, 3 and 5 received the tuberculous 

 milk, Pens '2 and 4 acted as controls. To Pen 1 was given milk containing tubercu- 

 lous material supposed to be of a very virulent nature. Pen 3 received milk containing 

 tuberculous material of medium virulence, Pen 5 received milk of a very low form of 

 virulence. Guinea pigs were inoculated from each sample of milk and they all 

 contracted tuberculosis. Six months after feeding all the pigs which remained alive 

 were killed. One pig of Pen 1 had generalized tuberculosis, the lungs were solid. In 

 the other pig of Pen 1 no ti-ace of tuberculosis could be found. Both pigs of Pen 2. 

 which were controls, were free from the disease. One pig of Pen 3 died at the end of 

 five months of general tuberculosis, the lungs being solid. The other pig had the 

 bronchial and right pliaryngeal glands affected. Both pigs of Pen 4. which were con- 

 trols, were sound. Both pigs of Pen .5 were sound. Fifty per cent of the jjigs fed with 

 tuberculous material contracted tuberculosis. There seemed to be no difference exist- 

 ing between what we supposed to be the A^ery virulent and the less virulent tubercu- 

 lous materials. It is iisually, probably, a matter of conjecture. At the same time 

 that these pigs were fed, materials which were used for Pens 3 and .5 were injected 

 into two calves. Both contracted tuberculosis and it had advanced considerably in 

 six months' time. Two check calves remained free from the disease. 



From what has been given, infection is possible from tuberculous meat, and especially 

 is this true if the disease becomes generalized. Even then there seems to be consider- 

 able doubt whether the virus is in the muscles tested or whetlier it is on the surface of 

 the muscles, having gotten there through the careless use of instruments. Wherever 

 careful experiments have been conducted, it seems to point to the contamination of 

 the meat in one way or another during slaughtering. On the other hand, meat which is 

 tuberculous when fed to animals, almost invariably sets up the disease. In the case 

 of generalized tuberculosis, where glands in almost every region are infected, it would 

 seem strange if the small lymyjhatic glands found in the muscle tissue were not 

 also infected, inasmuch as this disease radiates through the lymphatic channels 

 from the center of infection gradually to the other parts. Where only a single gland 

 is involved in the animal, so slow and gradual is the progress, it is very doubtful 

 whether the disease would reach the muscle tissues very quickly. Therefore, 

 when we find a posterior pharyngeal gland or a posterior mediastinal gland affected, 

 from the evidence that is offered, it seems a waste to destroy the carcass, since there 

 is little chance of conveying the disease by this means. 



The dissemination of tuberculosis through other avenues than the above mentione(J 

 is so uncommon that it need be only mentioned. It is possible to convey tuber- 



