592 Tuberculosis. 



undeniable favorable results occasionally obtained along this 

 line in human medicine, is of course out of the question with 

 animals both on account of the attending expense and the im- 

 practicability of the treatment. 



Hauptmann claims to have obtained curative effects in tuberculous cattle by 

 treatment -with iodipin (50 to 100 gm. of 25% iodipin repeatedly injected subcu- 

 taneously) -while Jacob, Bongert Sc Eosenberg observed good results following in- 

 trabronc'hial injections of tuberculin and creosote (500 gm. of a 0.1 to 0.4% solution 

 or 0.1% solution intratracheally). These apparently favorable results, however, 

 require further confirmation. The same may be said of Burow's assertion that 500 

 cattle, treated with bacterial preparations of unspecified character, showed ' ' definite 

 improvement ' ' with few exceptions, in the course of a few weeks. The i^reparations 

 made from tubercle bacilli (Tulase, tulaselaktin, tulon, tuberculase, etc.) and recom- 

 mended by V. Behring for the treatment of human tuberculosis have thus far given 

 no tangible results. Under the direction of Eoemer extensive experiments conducted 

 in Argentine with tulaselaktin as a curative agent for bovine tuberculosis gave 

 uniformly negative results. Arloing also found tuberkulase inert in his cattle experi- 

 ments. The same is probably also true with respect to the use of attenuated or 

 avirulent tubercle bacilli. 



Prevention. The establishment of the most favorable ex- 

 ternal conditions plays an important role in the control of 

 tuberculosis. Out of door life, especially on pasture, diminishes, 

 on the one hand the chances of infection and on the other hand 

 prevents the tubercle bacilli from obtaining an easy foothold 

 in the bronchioles and alveoli by thorough ventilation of the 

 air passages and therefore by preventing the development of 

 chronic catarrhal conditions. The customary healthy condition 

 of j^oung cattle in hilly and mountainous countries and the great 

 infrequency of tuberculosis in range cattle is due to the condi- 

 tions just referred to. 



In order to prevent the too rapid spread of tuberculosis 

 in already infected herds it is advisable to keep them out of 

 doors as much as possible during the day time and, when the 

 weather permits, at night also. In addition the stables should 

 be equipped with modern systems for ventilation and thor- 

 oughly cleaned and disinfected at least every two weeks. Stable 

 arrangement whereby cattle are compelled to face each other, 

 and continuous watering troughs and mangers should be avoided 

 as these conditions favor the dissemination of the disease. 

 Above all, animals with clinical symptoms of tuberculosis or 

 symptoms of chronic pulmonary aifections, chronic diarrhea, 

 chronic discharge from the uterus, emaciation, etc., that point 

 to the probable existence of open tuberculosis should be 

 slaughtered or otherwise disposed of at once in order to check 

 at least the principal disseminators of tubercle bacilli. Among 

 such animals those aifected with udder tuberculosis are of 

 course the most dangerous. (Where attempts are made to con- 

 trol the disease according to the rather conservative plan here 

 suggested it should ever be borne in mind that animals without 

 clinical symptoms of disease and otherwise in apparent per- 

 fect health may be suffering with advanced tuberculosis and 

 distribute tubercle bacilli in enormous numbers through the 

 medium of their solid excrement. — Translator.) 



