VETERINARY MEDICINE. 877 



Tuberculosis in animals and its relation to public health, W. Robertson 

 (Agr. Jour. Cape (Inod Jlopc, 3J (tOOS), Xo. S, pp. ,i.'fl-J.')7, pl.s. 2). — An account 

 is given of tlie disease with directions for the use of tuberculin. Tlie trans- 

 mission of tuberculosis through the vehicle of meat and milk is discussed. 



Tuberculosis of retropharyngeal lymphatic glands, W. Jowett (Vet. Rec, 

 21 (IDOS), No. 1056, pp. 203, 20.',, pi. /).— Records are reported of 100 consecu- 

 tive, post-mortem examinations made by the author of cattle which had reacted 

 to tuberculin but wliich in the majority of cases gave no cliuical indication of 

 being the subject of tuberculosis. Thirty-nine of the animals were found to 

 have well-ni;irl<ed lesions in the retropharyngeal glands and in 4 of the 39 

 animals, altliough careful examinations were made, no trace of tuberculosis 

 could be detet'ted in any other organ of the body. 



The protection of cattle against tuberculosis, J. F. Heymans (Mlcncr 

 Kim. Wchnschr., 21 ( 1908), No. 25, pp. 898-895).— The author describes a method 

 which he calls the sac method that increases the resistant power of the animal 

 to tubercle bacilli. The sac, made from a reed, is filled with 1 mg. of living 

 tubercle bacilli, diluted with powder. The mouth of the sac is tied and collo- 

 diouized and the sac is then introduced under the skin of the animal. 



A tuberculous cow soon shows a typical reaction when a sac containing 0.5 

 cc. of raw tuberculin is inserted under the skin. When the sac contains live 

 bacilli they thrive so long as they obtain the necessaiy nutrient substances 

 by diffusion. The wound heals, the sac forming a nodule resembling a tubercle. 

 Experience shows that an animal bearing one of these sacs is protected against 

 experimental and spontaneous tuberculous infection to an extent hitherto 

 unattained. This methotl has been applied by the author to 4,000 cattle during 

 the last 3 years. References are given to articles published on the subject by 

 the author. 



A new contribution to the study of the vaccination of bovines against 

 tuberculosis, A. Calmette and C. Guerin (Ami. Inst. Pasteur, 22 (1908), 

 No. 9, pp. 689-703). — A continuation of experiments on vaccination against 

 tuberculosis previously noted (E. S. R., 19, p. 577). 



The authors conclude that by the ingestion of virulent or attenuated tubercle 

 bacilli a relative immunity is produced that will protect from virulent bacilli 

 for months or longer. When from 8 to 12 months after having resisted a mas- 

 sive infection by the digestive tract and supposedly vaccinated, bovines received 

 intravent)usly a dose of virulent bacilli, it was found that following a short 

 period of discomfort they continued in perfect health for G or S mouths. They 

 retain, however, in their bronchial and mediastinal glands, virulent bacilli that 

 will cause tuberculosis in guinea pigs, but will not produce a reaction to tuber- 

 culin. After 6 to 8 months more the immunity disappears and the bacilli may 

 produce tuberculous lesions. Tubercle bacilli from cultures introduced by in- 

 gestion are after a time resorbed in the mesenteric glands, but are not suffi- 

 ciently numerous to produce lesions, while by intravenous injection they re- 

 mained virulent in the lymphatic glands of the thoracic organs. 



"Tuberculous animals or those sensibilized to tuberculin by 2 or 3 massive 

 injections of that substance in the veins, offer a very great resistance to rein- 

 fections or to severe tuberculous infections, natural or artittcial, even if these are 

 made by the intravenous method. . . . Then it is not in any way a true im- 

 munity, because the animals, thus vaccinated, although not reacting to tuber- 

 culin, remain carriers of living and virulent bacilli whidi are able, when the 

 resistance diminishes to create in the organism of these sjime animals serious 

 lesions, and again because, as Roux and Valloe have demonstratetl, vaccina- 

 tion by venous or subcutaneous methods does not protect against Intestinal 

 infection." 



