95 



couple of hours he stayed with me to shew him the 

 distinction between the pathological aspects, both 

 structural and bacteriological, of tuberculosis and 

 septicaemia by means of preparations made there and 

 then from the bird he had brought down, and of others 

 just previously obtained from human sources. [Those 

 of my medical readers who are conversant with 

 bacteriology will not need to be reminded of the 

 striking differences of behaviour exhibited by the two 

 bacilli in question when stained by the Ziehl-Neelson 

 method, nor of their marked contrast as to morpho- 

 logical characters.] 



Now if the question were one of only academic 

 interest it would not matter much to the general 

 public by what name the fatal disease was called ; but 

 when it is remembered that the object of post mortem 

 examinations is to get practical help, and when it 

 is realized how much good can be done by early 

 recognition of Septicaemia and a consequent speedy 

 isolation of the birds not yet affected, combined wnth 

 efficient disinfection of cages and prompt discontinu- 

 ance of such food as specially favours the septic 

 bacillus, then the matter assumes an importance of 

 wide spread application that will at once be manifest.- 



Some months ago I had hoped to have put this 

 question of so called tuberculosis on a more accurate 

 and satisfactory footing through the medium of 

 private correspondence, but I am sorry to say my 

 efforts did not meet with complete success, as not in 

 every instance was my politely worded letter of 

 enquiry as to grounds of diagnosis even answered. 



I fear I have by this time greatly trespassed on the 

 space at my disposal in " Bird Notes," but before I 

 close I should like to draw attention, by way of con- 

 trast to the above story, to the case of the Linnet in 

 last month's report. Here was a bird which, although 

 fed for a considerable time on tuberculous matter, yet 



