402 INFECTIVE DISEASES. 



terminally with a sharply defined ovoid body. There are also 

 collections of short bacilli, many with these spore-like appearances. 

 The author has also seen free ovoid forms, sometimes singly, some- 

 times in groups. From their connection with the bacilli and their 

 sharply defined outline they are very suggestive of spores. 



Johne examined the livers of a number of fowls accidentally 

 infected by phthisical sputum. Nocard reported an outbreak in 

 a poultry-yard where the man in charge had consumption. He 

 also found the disease amongst fowls fed with the infected organs 

 of tubercular cattle. Subcutaneous inoculation, and feeding of fowls 

 with sputum or bovine virus, will produce the disease. 



Experimental inoculation of tubercular virus from different 

 sources affords an illustration of the different pathogenic effects 

 obtained by varieties of the same species of bacillus. The bacillus 

 of fowl- tuberculosis is a distinct variety. A very small proportion 

 of guinea-pigs, inoculated in the peritoneal cavity with fowl-tubercle, 

 succumb to the disease, though so susceptible to the effects of human 

 or bovine virus. Maffucci maintains that guinea-pigs have an 

 immunity, and that rabbits rarely develop a generalised tuberculosis. 

 Cultures are not identical in appearance with those obtained from 

 man, and on microscopical examination show many long, thick, and 

 branched forms, which are only rarely found in cultures from a 

 human source. 



Stamping-out System. In 1888 a Departmental Committee 

 was appointed to inquire into pleuro-pneumonia and tuberculosis, 

 and they considered that legislation ought to be directed not only 

 to the protection of cattle from tuberculosis, but also to prevent 

 the possibility of the disease being communicated to man. 



The following extracts are from the recommendations of the 

 Committee, which were made on the lines of : 



A. PREVENTION. 



B. EXTIRPATION. 



A. Preventive Measures. 



These should include provision for : 



Improved hygiene of cattle sheds, etc. (especially in the direction of 

 providing proper ventilation, pure water supply, and adequate disinfection 

 of stalls, etc., wherein tubercular animals have been kept). This has 

 been partly met in the Dairy and Milk Shops Order, but its administra- 

 tion by the local health authorities is at present imperfect ; and we would 

 suggest that it should be much more stringently enforced, and that 

 veterinary inspectors should be given more extended powers of entry into 

 all places where animals are kept. 



