19 



most frequently one of the posterior quarters, aud a considerable 

 swelling may occur in a few days. It is a remarkable fact that the 

 uddei' swollen with this disease may yield the usual quantity of appar- 

 ently healthy milk, whicli is not the case when the swelling has a 

 different origin. 



IS BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS CURABLE? 



From the nature of the disease it does not seem possible to destroy 

 the bacilli in the body, so that the malady may not make its appear- 

 ance again under favoring conditions ; and when we recall the ex- 

 treme danger there is to the whole herd, and to man also, from a 

 single infected animal, it seems neither wise nor prudent to retain an 

 animal which is suspected of being contaminated in any waj' with this 

 disease. This same idea is expressed by Dr. Law in his most excel- 

 lent '^ Farmer's Veterinary Adviser." 



WHAT MEASURES SHOULD BE TAKEN TO AVOID THE 

 CONTAGION? 



It is believed that if living bacilli of tuberculosis be received into 

 the body, by whatever means, or from whatever source, they will be 

 liable to cause the disease, especially in those organs which contain 

 stagnant or nearly stagnant fluids, such as mucus, lymph, etc. The 

 bacillus which causes tuberculosis is a plant, and within it are devel- 

 oped seeds (spores), and any consideration of it must recognize this 

 fact. These spores require suitable conditions for germination and 

 growth, such as a suitable " soil." moisture, and temperature, as 

 surely as corn or the seeds of other plants. Koch fouud in his ex- 

 periments that these spores would develop in a temperature ranging 

 between 86° and 104° F., and this condition is furnished within the 

 bodies of warm-blooded animals. The time required for these plants 

 to germinate — the period of incubation as it is called — is not very 

 accurately established, but according to the experiments of Koch, it 

 is probably about two weeks. It is therefore necessary for the germs 

 to remain fixed in the nutritive material for a protracted period ni 

 order to germinate and produce the well-known results. 



The bacilli, as has already been stated, may gain entrance into the 

 body through the inhaled air, with the food and drink, or with the 

 genital organs, and in the case of man, it may be inoculated into the 

 body with vaccine matter, if this, by any chance, be taken from an 

 infected animal. This fact suggests that the utmost care should be 

 used in selecting vaccine matter. 



Tuberculosis can be successfully combated only by destroying the 

 means of infection, and, as Dr. Johue says, we must look upon the 



