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» REPORT, Xxili 
to spread at that point, and the tubercle shrivels into.a calcified mass surrounded 
by asheath of dense fibrous tissue. Such remains of tubercles are on post-mortem 
examination not infrequently found coupled with more recent lesions in animals pre- 
viously supposed to be healthy. 
50. The secretions from the organs thus diseased contain the tubercle bacilli, and 
are consequently infective in proportion to the activity of the malady. Such secretions 
are, the mucus from the air, alimentary, and genito-urinary passages, the saliva, milk, 
urine, &c. 
51. Of these, it is obvious that the fact of milk being infected is of primary 
importance to the health of both animals and of men, since milk has been proved 
both to contain the bacilli and to infect the lower animals, ¢.g., calves, pigs, &c., See also 
while unfortunately it is becoming abundantly clear that by the same method of i 24, 61, 
_ transmission of the virus the disease is communicated to the human being. 
: : : Constitutional 
52. The general symptoms produced by tuberculosis are, when the disease is general, symptoms pro- 
fairly easy of recognition, early malaise commencing, and emaciation preceding the duced by beg 
occurrence of the other prominent symptoms, such as a dry cough, &c. tnoda a tits 
EN ; E A SPST , termination. 
53. When, however, the affection commences locally and remains for weeks, or it ve Article 
may be months, very slowly growing, and so producing the hard fibroid nodules 49, 
before referred to, no symptoms may be manifest to a casual observer at all, in fact, 
the animal may be considered to be in a singularly fine condition. 
54. Ultimately, however, in all cases, if the malady has the opportunity of developing 
further (i.c., where the animal has not been killed in a well nourished condition at the 
commencement of the disease), the emaciation becomes very marked, the milk, pre- 
viously abundant though poor in quality, becomes still poorer, and also diminished 
in quantity. The weakness, increasing with the wasting, there is distress on exertion, 
the cough and laboured breathing indicating the degree in which the lungs are 
affected, and physical examination of the chest (¢.c., by percussion and auscultation) 
revealing their solidification and the pleuritic adhesions. 
55. The disease in the lower animals always terminates fatally. 
Frequency of Proportionate Occurrence among Animals and Men. 
56. Now that the unity of the various processes which the tubercular bacillus sets 
up is known, it should be clearly understood that it has been calculated from the 
statistics of the registrars of various countries, that to this poison alone are due from 
10 to 14 per cent. of all deaths among human beings. 
57. In certain instances, even this number seems to have been exceeded, as in gee Appen- 
Paisley, where it is 17-5 per cent. r | dix. 
_ 58. Its proportionate occurrence among animals has not been so clearly made out. 
“59, It appears to be certain that it is more prevalent in some parts of the country 
than in others, notably so in Ireland, and especially in Dublin, while it is much 
more common among milking cows than other kinds of stock. In Dublin, the per- 
centage of animals discovered to be affected with the disease in the course of applica- 
tion of the recent Slaughter Act was 4:9 percent. In some exceptional cases the 
per-centage is still higher, in others lower. Among Ayrshire dairy cattle, 25 per 
cent., Question 835; 50 per cent., Question 4262; 30 per cent., Question 5371; 4°5 
per cent., Question 5582; 3:5 per cent., Question 5360; 37:5 per cent., Question 7620; 
‘2 per cent. of all animals, 7.c., cows, oxen, &c., killed at Edinburgh, Question 7684. 
In Germany the proportion of tubercular disease among cattle slaughtered appears 
to vary from 1°5 per cent. to 20 per cent. according to the district. 
60. On analysis, it will be found that, as an almost invariable rule, the low per-cen- see pars. 8 
tages given are those for herds fed in the open air most of the year, the high death- 9, 17,22, 23. 
rates being among dairy cattle cohabiting in sheds. 
61. The relative frequency with which the disease appears among fowls seems to Q. 8013. 
be not generally known, except to veterinary surgeons of large cities. Both from Q. 7947, 
direct experiment and from clinical observation it is now proved, not only that the fowl ¢¢.seq., 8050. 
contracts the disease from man by reason of its swallowing the expectorated bacilli, Par. 70, 
but also that it thereby forms a vehicle for the further transmission of the disease to @ 84%: 
man and the lower animals. — et seq. 
62. The widespread injury and loss it thus inflicts calls for legislative interference, Q. 2858, 
which we will now proceed to consider. 42465. 
68. Before doing so we must direct attention to the fact that in the view of several qQ. 4233, 
authorities this disease is believed to be on the increase. : 4848, 5062. 
