124 REPORT OF THE No. 55 



Group I. becomes very much larger. Of the total sixty cases investigated by us, 

 twenty-eight possessed clinical histories indicating that in them the bacillus was 

 introduced through the alimentary canal. Of these, thirteen belong to Group I. 

 Of the nine cases in which cervical glands were studied by us 1 , three, and of the 

 nineteen cases' in which the lesions of abdominal tuberculosis were studied by us, 

 ten belong to Group I. These facts indicate that a very large proportion of tuber- 

 culosis contracted by ingestion is due to tubercle bacilli of bovine source. A very 

 considerable amount of disease and loss of life, especially among the young, must 

 be attributed to the consumption of cows' milk containing tubercle bacilli. The 

 presence of tubercle bacilli in cows' milk can be detected, though with some diffi- 

 culty, if the proper means be adopted ; and such milk ought never to be used as 

 food. There is far less difficulty in recognizing clinically that a cow is distinctly 

 suffering from tuberculosis, in which case she may be yielding tuberculous milk. 

 The milk coming from such a cow ought not to form part of human food, and, in- 

 deed, ought not to be used as food at all. Our results clearly point to the neces- 

 sity of measures more stringent than those at present enforced being taken to pre- 

 vent the sale or consumption of such milk." 



In spite of the fact that he is in the minority, Koch has not yet entirely re- 

 ceded from the position he took in 1901, but is 1 still experimenting. At the Inter- 

 national Congress on Tuberculosis, held in Washington in 1908, he made it clear 

 in the presence of the most eminent scientists of the world that he still believed 

 that bovine tuberculosis was 1 rarely transmitted to man and then only to infants. 

 His 1 views were voiced in the following words, as reported on page 754 of the Offi- 

 cial Eeport : 



"I would again call attention to the fact that human tuberculosis is the prin- 

 cipal point of attack, because eleven-twelfths of the patients perish through this 

 type of infection. I admit that bovine infection can occasionally occur, and I desire 

 not to be understood as disregarding the endeavour to extirpate bovine tubercu- 

 losis as far as these endeavours' are dictated by agricultural and economic reasons. 

 But I mean that it would be wrong to give these proposals the leading place in front 

 of the efforts to combat human tuberculosis." 



Along with the Koch view is to be taken the fact that in Japan, where there 

 are few cows, tuberculosis is rampant and in Cuba, where there is no bovine tubercu- 

 losis', as related on another page in the experience of Louisiana State, yet the same 

 prevalence exists. At the same time it must be borne in mind that the great majority 

 of the most eminent scientists declare the disease is transmissible ; and British and 

 American legislation, not to mention other countries, is shaped to combat that trans- 

 mi ssibility. 



PREVALENCE OF BOVINE BACILLI IN HUMAN BEINGS. 



Admitting the transmissibility, therefore, your Commission are strongly of the 

 opinion that steps should be taken to protect the people of this Province from the 

 dangers of contaminated milk. As to the extent of this danger, we made some 

 enquiries'. Dr. W. H. Park, the eminent authority on bacteriology in New York, 

 stated that, roughly, 1.6 to 3% of all the deaths from tuberculosis in New York 

 City was due to bovine origin, and that twenty per cent, of the tuberculosis of 

 infants is of bovine origin. He had found no bovine bacilli in adults. Dr. G. W. 

 Goler, of Rochester, who has been making some experiments of his own, declared 

 that fifteen per cent, of the tuberculosis among children was of bovine origin. Dr. 

 J. G. Rutherford, Veterinary Director General for the Dominion, declared that it 



