TUBERCULOSIS. 709 



quantities of material full of bacilli is much more dangerous than 

 another suffering only from slight bronchial or tracheal lesions, 

 though the danger in the latter case is none the less always present. 



Treatment. There is no really curative treatment of tuber- 

 culosis. 



It must not be thought, however, that we are completely helpless 

 and that the present condition of affairs must be allowed to con- 

 tinue indefinitely. Nocard and Leclainche have minutely laid down 

 the lines to be followed as regards prophylaxis, though unfortu- 

 nately the measures recommended cannot always be carried out. 



Tuberculin having been proved an exact means of detecting 

 tuberculous lesions in animals even where none were suspected, it 

 is desirable, firstly, to test all the animals in a given establish- 

 ment with tuberculin ; and, secondly, to separate into classes (1) all 

 animals which have reacted, and (2) those which have resisted. 



The stables, etc., should then be completely disinfected by 

 sweeping, washing first with hot water, then with strong anti- 

 septic solutions, brushing over the walls with quick-lime solution and 

 fumigating with sulphurous acid or formic aldehyde. The healthy 

 animals should then be placed in one shed and the diseased animals 

 in another. In order to render this system of isolation really 

 efficacious the isolated animals and the healthy animals should have 

 nothing in common, and the persons tending the two classes of 

 animals, the buckets and other utensils, the watering places, etc., 

 should be kept rigorously apart. 



The animals known to be tuberculous should as rapidly as 

 possible be prepared for slaughter, and if pregnant cows are included 

 in the number the calves should be removed to the healthy stable 

 immediately after birth and brought up either on boiled milk or by 

 a healthy mother, experience having shown that congenital tuber- 

 culosis is of rare occurrence. 



After the tuberculous animals have left the shed, this, should 

 again be thoroughly disinfected, in order to make it fit for the 

 reception of healthy subjects. 



Unfortunately such precautions can only be observed in model 

 establishments. They necessitate expenses and immediate sacrifices 

 of a very serious character, and breeders too often view only the 

 sacrifice without regard to the after benefits. For this reason the 

 above system has only been practised in certain of the best known 

 and best managed farms. 



To ensure the full benefit of these precautions, and to prevent 

 a fresh introduction of tuberculosis into the herd, every new animal 

 introduced should be subjected to the tuberculin test. Unless this 



