^2 



cooking' of all meat. Tt has been shown by Wooclhead that 

 boiling is the most efl:ectual way of destroying germs in meat, 

 next baking in the oven, and the least effectual way is roast- 



While we thus prevent its transmission from animals 

 to man through onr milk and meat supply, we must not 

 forget that if we would get rid of this disease altogether we 

 must go farther and see if we cannot exterminate it in cattle. 

 Many believe that with the assistance of the State — and it is 

 purely a matter for the State to deal with — that we can. 

 How is it to be done ? By the compulsory testing with 

 tuberculin and slaughtering of every animal affected with 

 tuberculosis, with or without compensation to the owners, as 

 the State may think fit. 



Tuberculin. —You remember a few years ago great excite- 

 ment prevailed over what was supposed to be a cure for 

 consumption, and how that excitement gave place to bitter 

 disappointment. 



It consisted in injecting a small quantity of a glycerine 

 extract of pure cultivation of tubercular bacilli which Koch 

 called tuberculin. 



Now although tuberculin has not proved to be a curative 

 agent, it is one of the most valuable diagnostic tests we 

 have. 



Any animal — whether in the dairy, abattoir, or amongst 

 the herd — suspected can be injected, and if you get a cha- 

 racteristic fibrile reaction, you may consider tuberculosis is 

 present in that animal's system. It has been claimed by Dr. 

 Springthorpe that he has been able to diagnose tuberculosis 

 in the human subject in this way before there were any con- 

 clusive physical signs or before there was any sputum. 



Veterinarians are now agreed that 97 per cent, of cases 

 which give a reaction with tuberculin will on post mortem 

 examination prove to be tubercular. 



This, then, is the first step — power of diagnosis in cattle — 

 in this great undertaking. The Government of Denmark 

 has set aside .£25,000 to be used by Professor Bang for the 

 purpose of exterminating tuberculosis, if possible, in the 

 cattle of that country. Whether he will be able to do so or 

 not remains to be seen, but his efforts will be watched with 

 more than ordinary interest by all interested in this subject. 



In Canada and Germany the cattle are subjected to this 

 test, and the German Government has voted jB10,000 to assist 

 in compensating owners. 



The Central Board of Health, Sydney, has also instituted 

 an examination on similar lines, and pays 30s. compensation 

 to all owners for every tubercular animal slaughtered. 



