Because of this practice the number of herds iu this proviuce which 

 have been maintained through home breeding is probably not large. 

 It is certainl}' far smaller than the number of the corresponding 

 herds on Fiinen, especially on the south(>rn part of the island." 



The proof of the existence of a large number of entirely healthy 

 herds appears to me to be of special interest. It will certainly 

 weaken the theory that tuberculous bacilli are everywhere present. 

 This idea is firmly fixed in the heads of many of the laity and even 

 of physicians themselves, and seriously threatens all energetic and 

 well-planned attemps at annihilation of tuberculosis. The knowl- 

 edge that tuberculosis is not a necessary evil gives confidence that 

 this antl all other purely contagious diseases may be removed from 

 our herds. 



Three years ago I personally experimented on two peasant farms 

 (at Elkenoere on Falster island) in order to prove the existence of 

 entirely henlthy lierds. These herds were particularly interesting. 

 They were lelatively large, 38 and 39 head,'-'' of finely developed 

 animals of a well-formed milk type ( the red Danish race). The}' 

 gave a yearly average of 4,000 litres of milk per head. In founding 

 the race, in and in breeding was largely practised. A large part of 

 both herds originated from one cow, bought in the year 1862. Here 

 were, therefore, many of the conditions which have long been sup- 

 posed to favor tuberculosis and still not a single animal reacted. 



Only one yearling bull showed a slight rise of temperature ( from 

 38.6" to 39.7°). I caused him to be killed, but found no trace of 

 tuberculosis. Tliere was an actinomycotic swelling in the pharynx. ^'^ 



The health of both of these herds is further of interest because 

 many of the animals had often been exhibited at cattle shows. They 

 had thus had frequent opportunity of coming in contact with tubercu- 

 lous animals as well as men. The fact that they remained healthy, 

 strongly sup[)orts the theory that the spread of the disease requires a 

 prolonged living together. Communication of tuberculosis by feed- 

 ing is not considered here. 



Among the healthy herds there are many others of fine quality. 

 Here is sufficient proof that with the exclusion of contagion, cows 

 may be developed to produce a high milk yield without danger of 



6. Compare "Tuberculosis among the Domestic Animals of Denmark. " This 

 Journal Vol. XVI. page 3H. 



16. The one had IS cows (2 1-2 to 13 years old) 3 bulls ( 1, 1 1-2 and 3 years old), 17 

 head of calves and heifers. The other had 22 cows, 4 bulls ( among them a prize 

 6 years old;, 13 calves and heifers. Compare Ugeskrift for Landmand" 1S92. 



17. Abscedirende Actinomj'kome in den Schlundkopfdrusen. 



