288 PUBLIC HEALTH BACTERIOLOGY 



disease is acquired probably from hay, straw, and grain, 

 and possibly by milk of infected cattle. An actinomyces 

 has been isolated from hay and straw, and in cattle, grains 

 have been found embedded in the centre of growths. 

 Inoculation of the ox has produced the disease ; in the 

 smaller animals, characteristic colonies and lesions may 

 follow, but little growth. 



Isolation. May be easy or very difficult. The pus is 

 washed in salt solution and sown in melted glucose agar. 

 If much contamination is found, keep washed granules 

 for several weeks in a dry state, and try again. 



SUMMARY OF THE FINAL REPORT OF THE BRITISH ROYAL 

 COMMISSION ON TUBERCULOSIS ISSUED IN JUNE, 1911. 



The British Royal Commission appointed in 1901 to 

 inquire into the relations of human and animal tuber- 

 culosis, issued its final report in June, 1911. The 

 Commission was appointed on account of the diversity 

 of opinion which was manifested at the International 

 Congress on Tuberculosis, held in London in 1901, when 

 the statement was made by Koch that human tuberculosis 

 cannot be transmitted to cattle, and that bovine tubercu- 

 losis is not dangerous to man. The results of the work of 

 the Commission, and of much other parallel work, are to- 

 traverse directly both statements. The Final Report 

 extends to about fifty pages (there are 7 volumes of an 

 Appendix), and may be usefully summarized thus : 



The report is unanimous. It is based on the isolation 

 of the bacilli from the lesions of the natural disease ; the 

 investigation of the cultural characters of the bacilli 

 isolated, and the study of their effects when introduced in 

 varying doses and by several methods into different 

 animals. The species of animals used have been cattle, 

 rabbits, guinea-pigs, pigs, goats, chimpanzees, monkeys, 

 horses, rats, mice, dogs, cats, and birds. 



The experimental methods of infection used were : 

 subcutaneous, intravenous, intraperitoneal, and by feeding 

 (oral). Inhalation was not tried. The findings are based 

 on the researches of their own staff. 



