1890.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 337 



thesis ; and the inquiry naturally arises, whether this form of disease 

 prevails where no malign influences are found, and where its exis- 

 tence depends on transmission by meat to the human system, and 

 by milk to the systems of all animals that use it. Man has learned 

 to have great confidence in the effect of heat in preparing his food, 

 and in the power of his stomach to digest it ; and with these two 

 powerful weapons he is well armed against the incursion of invisible 

 bacilli and germs. He can afford, therefoi'e, to devote himself to 

 long and careful investigations, when the startling assertions are 

 based on theory. 



The position taken by Dr. Ranch is reasonable and prudent, and 

 should commend itself to all who realize the vast importance of the 

 question involved, and the interests at stake, affecting, as they do, 

 human life and health, as well as industrial prosperity. 



While the investigation is going on in our own country, I desire 

 to present to the Massachusetts Board of Agriculture a debate 

 which has recently taken place in Paris at a meeting of the Acad- 

 emy of Medicine, in which some of the most scientific members 

 participated. 



A commission had at a previous meeting presented a report on 

 tuberculosis, in discussing which M. Lancereaux said : — 



I agree with the commission of the Congress of Tuberculosis in a 

 large part of the opinions it has given. Meanwhile, I believe it is too 

 much controlled by experiment, and not enough by clinics. I believe, 

 for my part, that contagion plays a secondary part in the pathology of 

 tuberculosis ; that this disease is due to many causes, among which ai'e 

 the density of population and dwellings, and living in confined air, both 

 of which play the princijDal part. Among predisposing causes which 

 are of equally great imjDortance in the spi'eading of consumption, 

 alcoholism should be placed in the front rank. These considerations 

 lead me to believe that various elements contribute to the develoi^ment 

 and extension of tuberculosis, and that contagion is not one of these 

 elements. I should advise, thei'efore, a modification of the conclusion 

 of the commission. 



Tuberculosis is a disease most frequent in gi*eat centres ; and, in con- 

 sequence, it is necessary that the public should know the means by 

 which it can protect itself from this contagion. 



Two factors causing the disease and controlling the creation of tuber- 

 culosis are : predisposition in the organic structure, and the introduction 

 into that structure of a special parasitic agent. The predisposition, 

 which is due to many causes, arises above all from the excessive use 

 of alcohol and too confined air, as has been said. 



The sputa, above all, when they are dry are a great cause of con- 

 tagion. The same may be true with regard to the milk of an animal 

 whose udder is diseased, and also in some cases the meat of an animal 

 having tuberculosis. I believe in all these cases it is important to 



