CHAPTEK XVIII 



THE PREVENTION OF HUMAN TUBERCULOSIS OF BOVINE ORIGIN 



IN Chapter VII. facts and conclusions were set out which make 

 it evident that a considerable amount of human tuberculosis 

 is of bovine origin. While man is the main source of human 

 infection, the proportion due to infection from material of 

 bovine origin is sufficiently large to make it very important 

 that proper steps should be taken to prevent this source of 

 human disease. It must be conceded that, while infected 

 meat cannot be altogether excluded as a source of human 

 tuberculosis, in nearly all the cases of human infection from 

 bovine sources the vehicle is milk or milk products. 



The problem of the prevention of human tuberculosis of 

 bovine origin involves two quite separate considerations : 



I. The control and elimination of bovine tuberculosis. 



II. The prevention of human infection from material 

 containing bovine tubercle bacilli. 



I. THE CONTROL OF BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS 



The control of bovine tuberculosis is urgently required in 

 the interest of agriculture, and quite apart from its relation- 

 ship to human disease. The loss to the agricultural com- 

 munity from this disease is enormous. Since the danger of 

 human disease from tuberculous cows can never be removed 

 unless bovine tuberculosis is scientifically attacked some 

 consideration of methods of control for this disease is necessary. 

 The eradication of this disease amongst cows and oxen is 

 admittedly an extremely difficult task, owing to the insidious 

 nature of the disease and its extremely wide prevalence. The 

 suggestion that all the cattle in the country should be tested with 



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