Bovine Tuberculosis in Man. 1Q9 



results of infection with bovine tubercle bacilli may under certain 

 conditions only manifest themselves after years have elapsed. 



In the given period 113 cases were reported, of which 68 were 

 from Prussia, 14 from Bavaria, 6 from Saxony, 6 from Wurttem- 

 berg, 10 from Baden, and 9 from Hessen. 



At least 628 persons came under consideration in the inges- 

 tion of such milk, possibly even more, since at times only the term 

 11 family" is designated, and the milk was not infrequently deliv- 

 ered to dairies with a large patronage. These cases were not in- 

 cluded, although every person is exposed to an infection who par- 

 takes of such milk and dairy products. 



In the case of 9 persons no age is given; 284 were children, 

 and 385 adults. 



The value of the individual cases must of course be judged 

 in different ways. 



In 44 cases it is stated that the milk had been consumed only 

 as an addition to coffee, or mixed with milk of healthy animals, or 

 the data were otherwise not accurate. 



Of especially great interest are those cases in which it was 

 emphasized that the milk was consumed in a raw state, unmixed, 

 mixed with milk of only a few cows, or in which such milk was 

 used in the preparation of butter, buttermilk, sour milk, or had 

 been consumed for a long period. In such cases tremendous num- 

 bers of tubercle bacilli must have been taken into the digestive 

 tract. According to Bang and Wall the milk from tuberculous 

 udders may retain a normal appearance for months, being used 

 as food without any objection, and yet such milk contains millions 

 of tubercle bacilli. Bang found in smear preparations of such 

 milk, in a single field as many as 200 bacilli. 



In all 69 cases were reported, in which it was stated with cer- 

 tainty that raw milk of animals with udder tuberculosis, or pro- 

 ducts prepared from such milk, were consumed. 



The milk was taken for a longer or shorter time, in large 

 quantities, by 151 children, 200 adults, and 9 persons whose age 

 was not mentioned. 



These persons are divided by Weber according to the results 

 of the investigations, into four groups, namely: 



1. Cases, in which an infection occurred of a bovine type. 



2. Those in which a suspicion of an infection exists, but 

 on account of insufficient bacteriological examinations has not 

 yet been determined. 



3. In affections in which the bacteriological examination 

 relative to the suspicion of tuberculosis was negative, or in which 

 the human type was found exclusively, and 



4. Cases in which no affections whatsoever have been dem- 

 onstrated up to the present time. 



In Group 1 an infection with the bovine type was demonstrated 

 in two families, affecting one child in each. 



