254 MILK AND ITS HYGIENIC RELATIONS 



Experiments were conducted by the Commission in which 

 large numbers of animals were fed upon bovine tubercle bacilli. 

 The animals thus fed showed infection of the mesenteric glands 

 in nearly every case, and in several cases also of other glands 

 more distant from the alimentary canal, and also infection of some 

 of the organs, especially the liver and spleen. In one or two cases 

 the lungs were also infected. Evidently the bacilli had found 

 entrance through the alimentary canal by passing through the 

 mucous membrane and then to the glands. 



Dealing further with this subject, the Commissioners state: 

 ' Of young children dying from primary abdominal tuberculosis, 

 the fatal lesions could in nearly one-half of the cases be referred 

 to the bovine bacillus, and to that type alone. In children, too, 

 and often also in adolescents, suffering from cervical gland tuber- 

 culosis, a large proportion of the cases examined by us could be 

 referred to the bovine tubercle bacillus. . . . Whatever, there- 

 fore, may be the animal source of tuberculosis in adolescents and 

 in adult man, there can be no doubt that a considerable proportion 

 of the tuberculosis affecting children is of bovine origin, more 

 particularly that which affects primarily the abdominal organs 

 and the cervical glands. And further, there can be no doubt that 

 primary abdominal tuberculosis, as well as tuberculosis of the 

 cervical glands, is commonly due to ingestion of tuberculous in- 

 fective material. Judging by our feeding experiments, there would 

 appear to be strong presumption that as regards most animals, 

 comparatively large doses, given either singly or by frequent 

 repetition, are necessary to produce by ingestion acute progressive 

 generalised tuberculosis, though we have recorded instances in 

 which a very small dose administered but once has produced this 

 result. Applying a like presumption to man (and our observations 

 on the monkey and chimpanzee in this connection afford warrant 

 for so doing), it may be asked in what way are children, the members 

 of the human family who are especially liable to exhibit acute 

 fatal tuberculosis commencing as an abdominal affection, most 

 likely to obtain a large and fatally infective dose of tubercle bacilli ? 



'As already indicated by us, to this question there can be 

 but one answer namely, that the evidence which we have accu- 

 mulated goes to demonstrate that a considerable amount of the 

 tuberculosis of childhood is to be ascribed to infection with bacilli 

 of the bovine type transmitted to children in meals consisting 

 largely of the milk of the cow. 



' In many cases of abdominal tuberculosis and in tuberculosis 

 of the cervical glands, however, it must be recollected that the 

 child may be injured by the ingestion of bovine tubercle bacilli 

 in milk without a fatal result occurring. The cases of abdominal 

 tuberculosis examined by us had all been fatal, that is, death occurred 

 from a generalised tuberculosis or from some local condition resulting; 

 with possibly two exceptions, from tuberculosis of the abdomen. 



