August 17, ign] 



NATURE 



2 \g 



kept the Pourqitoi-Pas? too far to the north. The 

 ice conditions suggest that there is land not far to 

 the south behind the ice-packed sea. The work in 

 south-western Graham Land is unquestionably of 

 great importance. Adelaide Island is much larger 

 than its discoverer, Bisco, thought, but Graham Land, 

 instead of extending south-westward as a continuous 

 land, breaks up into an archipelago, or makes a sharp 

 bend to the south-east. The lands explored clearly 

 belong to a volcanic Andean chain, of which the 

 coast has been penetrated by a network of fiords ; 

 but owing to the inaccessibility of the land, its com- 

 position remains less known than its distribution. 



The results of the Charcot expedition suggest that 

 Graham Land either breaks up south-westward into 

 an archipelago, or that in the neighbourhood of 

 Adelaide Island it curves sharply southward, corre- 

 sponding to the northward curve of South America on 

 the opposite side of Drake's Strait. Dr. Charcot's 

 expedition, therefore, adds fresh interest to the 

 problem of Graham Land. All interested in Antarctic 

 research will join in Prof. Joubin's hope that the 

 necessary funds will be provided for the full publica- 

 tion of these important additions to Antarctic know- 

 ledge. J. W. G. 



TUBERCULOSIS AND THE MILK SUPPLY. 



ON the publication of the final report of the Royal 

 Commission on Tuberculosis the view was fre- 

 quently expressed that those in authority ought, long 

 ago, to have taken precautions against the dangers 

 arising out of the use of milk containing tubercle 

 bacilli. To those who have followed the matter care- 

 fully this scarcely seems to be a very rational position 

 to assume, as, up to the publication of this report, 

 Koch's dictum, backed by the authority of his enor- 

 mous prestige, held the field. It is now recognised 

 that Koch's pronouncement on this question was the 

 cause of the difficulties that arose immediately 

 after he had spoken at the London Tuberculosis 

 Congress, and there can be little doubt that these 

 difficulties, then foreseen, led the executive of the 

 congress to insist so strongly on the appointment of 

 a Royal Commission. It was evident that inspection, 

 the use of tuberculin, the destruction of tuberculous 

 cattle, might all be ruled out as unnecessary, if Koch's 

 thesis that there was no danger from the presence of 

 the tubercle bacillus was to be accepted. 



Now, however, that the commissioners have re- 

 ported, and in no uncertain voice, that tuberculosis, 

 especially in the child, may be the result of infection 

 with tubercle bacilli conveyed in the cow's milk, it is 

 essential that the question of regulations relating to 

 milk and meat supply should be carefully reconsidered, 

 and that, as the commissioners put it, "Government 

 should cause to be enforced throughout the kingdom 

 food regulations, planned to afford better security 

 against the infection of human beings through the 

 medium of articles of diet derived from tuberculous 

 animals." Also that the supply of milk from a 

 "recognisablv tuberculous cow, irrespective of the site 

 of the disease, whether in the udder or in the internal 

 organs, should be prohibited," as the commission has 

 demonstrated that infection of milk may take place, not 

 through the udder merely, but by channels through 

 which such infection has not hitherto been followed. 



This report alters entirely the whole aspect of 

 affairs. The President of the Local Government 

 Board is now in a very strong position as regards the 

 tuberculosis order issued in iooq, and his own Milk 

 Bill alreadv drafted. Indeed, the conditions are so far 

 changed that it is absolutely necessary that some steps 

 should be taken at as early a date as possible to 



NO. 2 l8l, VOL. 87] 



ensure the passage of legislative measures dealing 

 with the protection and improvement of the milk 

 supply. Hurried or "panic" legislation would, how- 

 ever, be unwise ; a careful consideration of the whole 

 position is necessary. On one hand are the interests 

 ol the consumer, which, in this instance, must be 

 looked upon as of paramount importance ; whilst on 

 the other the great financial interests of the cattle 

 breeders and dairy owners (thoug'h of secondary im- 

 portance) must be considered. 



In the tuberculosis order issued in 1909, but not yet 

 brought into force, it is enacted that every person 

 having in his possession, or under his charge, (1) any 

 cow which has, or appears to be suffering from, 

 tuberculosis of the udder, indurated udder, or other 

 chronic disease of the udder, or (2) any bovine animal 

 which is, or appears to be, emaciated from tubercu- 

 losis, shall give notice to a constable of the police 

 force. The local authority shall then cause to be made 

 a veterinary examination of the suspected animal, 

 and the milk from such animal shall be kept separate 

 and shall be boiled or sterilised. If the animal is 

 found to be tuberculous, the local authority shall notify 

 the owner that it is to be slaughtered. Moreover, if 

 the owner objects, special authority must be obtained 

 hum the Board of Agriculture to slaughter. 



So much for the animals themselves; and, after all, 

 this is the point at which the question should be at- 

 tacked in the first instance. It is evident, however, 

 that until considerable advances have been made along 

 llv above lines, milk containing tubercle bacilli will 

 still find its way into our milkshops and dairies, and 

 regulations at least as stringent or more searching than 

 those already in force will have to be devised in order 

 to protect customers against milk coming from tuber- 

 culous cattle. Inspection and biological examination 

 will, for some time, be essential, and certainly should 

 not be neglected, as in these, probably, we have 'he 

 onlv effective means of safeguarding the milk 

 supply against infection from tuberculosis. It may 

 confidently be anticipated that those in authority have 

 already under consideration these and other points, to 

 be attended to and included in any new measure to be 

 brought forward. 



The question of compensation is one of considerable 

 difficulty and delicacy. How is the honest trader to 

 be protected without at the same time making it easy 

 for those not quite so honest to benefit at his ex- 

 pense? It is suggested in the tuberculosis order of 

 1909 that if the animal after slaughtering does not 

 show that it was suffering from tuberculosis, full 

 compensation as agreed shall be paid, along with a 

 further sum of twenty shillings. If the animal is 

 found to be suffering from tuberculosis (not being 

 advanced tuberculosis), three-fourths of the value as 

 agreed shall be paid, one-half of the cost of valuation 

 being deducted. If, however, the animal is suffering 

 from advanced tuberculosis, one-fourth of the value 

 shall be paid, or the sum of two pounds, whichever is 

 the greater, one-half of the cost of valuation still being 

 deducted. It is further ordered that all suspected 

 animals shall be isolated at once and until seen by 

 veterinary surgeons, whilst disinfecting and cleansing 

 shall be carried out at the expense of the owner on 

 all premises where tuberculous animals are found. 



Then, of course, the question arises, From what 

 source shall the compensation be made? Abroad, 

 compensation has been paid out of an insurance fund 

 to which various authorities and individuals make con- 

 tributions. The seller of the animal, the buyer, the 

 municipality, and even the State are, in various places, 

 put under contribution, and in a case of this kind it 

 certainly seems reasonable that there should be some 

 such cooperation. The farmer who sells his cattle 



