94 The Story of the Bacteria 



Infection from this source is more common 

 in young children than in adults, and the 

 bacilli may enter the system through the 

 tonsils or through the bowels. In children 

 the infection may apparently remain latent 

 for years, only revealing itself in small nodules 

 in the neck or chest or abdomen. But there 

 is evidence that in later life these local seats 

 of infantile tuberculosis may become sources 

 of general infection. By boiling or properly 

 pasteurizing the milk for infants, this risk 

 may be avoided. 



The conclusions which almost thrust them- 

 selves upon us from what we have thus learned 

 about tuberculosis are very plain. Tubercu- 

 lous meat and milk ought never to get into 

 the markets. Milk contaminated with tu- 

 bercle bacilli may be rendered harmless by 

 heat. 



It would be very difficult to stop by any 

 sort of legal enactment the spread of the 

 tubercle bacilli by means of the air or by 

 personal contact from man to man. But 

 a thorough acquaintance of all persons with 

 the fact that a consumptive patient may be 



