July 31, 1891.J 



SCIENCE. 



59 



hardening of the tissues in a somewhat extended circuit. 

 When the above-mentioned tumors were cut over, they pre- 

 sented the exact appearance of a fresh tubercular udder in- 

 flammation, that is to say, the gland lobes were swollen, 

 firm, and of grayish color, slighly translucent, and with 

 yellow streaks corresponding with the lacteal passages. In 

 dried preparations of tissue from the tumors, as well as from 

 the infiltrated regions, tubercle bacilli could be demonstrated, 

 and sections showed on both sides the presence of typical 

 tuberculous tissue with giant cells containing bacilli. Thus 

 there could be no doubt but that in all three cases a com- 

 mencement of tuberculosis had to be contended with. The 

 slighter the development of the tubercular attacks in the 

 udder, so much the fewer will be the number of bacilli 

 thrown off from the milk. In full agreement with this, it 

 was found, that, of the two inoculated guinea-pigs, only one 

 was attacked in the case wh«re but two small tumors of a 

 pea-size were found in the udder. The other guinea-pig was 

 killed four weeks after the inoculation and was found to be 

 perfectly sound. In the last of the four cases where the 

 milk was found communicative of infection, no discernible 

 tubercular attack was to be detected in the udder. This case, 

 however, differed in some degree from the others. The cow 

 in question died of tuberculosis of chronic character and in 

 a very advanced stage, several of the organs having been 

 attacked (the lungs, pleura, mesenteric glands, liver, and 

 intestines), while the other cows whose milk had been ex- 

 amined had all been slaughtered. With these the attack had 

 not reached the extreme stage, although in many of them it 

 was found to be far advanced. 



While this case would thus seem to prove that the tubercle 

 bacilli can pass over to the milk without the previous ex- 

 istence of any tubercle tissue in the udder, it is at the same 

 time observed that in this case there is all reason for regard- 

 ing it as one of exceptional character. From the detailed 

 report on these researches it may perhaps be gathered that 

 the matter in question stands somewhat in the following 

 position : If it really be the case that the milk of tuberculous 

 cows is of such great danger as the medium of communicating 

 infection, it might certainly be expected, looking at the great 

 spread of tuberculosis among cattle, that the disease would, 

 at the same time, be conveyed to human beings much more 

 frequently than it seems, in fact, really to occur with the raw 

 milk and (though perhaps in a somewhat less degree) with 

 the dairy produce, especially of butter and cheese. The gen- 

 erally entertained opinion that milk from tuberculous cows, 

 as a rule, only under certain conditions, was really of such 

 dangerous character, would appear to be much more in ac- 

 cordance with the results obtained. 



To prevent the conveyance of infection to the human 

 being through the medium of tuberculous cows' milk, it 

 should be the main consideration to watch for the earliest 

 appearance of swelling or tumor of a tuberculous nature in 

 the cow. Such recognition, as a rule, will not be of much 

 difficulty, and at any rate will lead to good grounds of sus- 

 picion, such as a firm, painless, and, as a rule, speedily 

 spreading glandular swelling, with the secretion in the first 

 weeks retaining its natural appearance, but later on becom- 

 ing thinner and more watery, but seldom of a pus nature. 

 The question of danger of infection through the use of such 

 milk is perhaps sufficiently summed up in the following 

 words of the report on these researches, namely, that milk 

 obtained from a tuberculous cow with an apparently sound 

 udder, as a rule, will not be found dangerous; but, at the 

 same time, as in no individual case can it be said with cer- 



tainty that one may not be dealing with one of the depicted 

 exceptions from the general rule, it would be advisable to 

 regard such milk with suspicion in respect to its infecting 

 powers. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



A LONG time ago, says the Engineering and Mining Journal, 

 the distinguished French astronomer Flammarion expressed the 

 belief that communication would be established one day between 

 the earth and the planetT Mai-s. The idea seems to have appealed 

 very strongly to the fancy of an old lady at Pau, France, who 

 died recently, bequeathing a legacy of 100,000 francs as a reward 

 to the first scientist who may devise a scheme for successfully ac- 

 complishing the feat. The money, which is payable for ten years 

 only, is to be held in trust by the French Institute. 



— Silo experience in the United States now covers more than 

 ten years, and so far as the economy of producing silage and the 

 advantages of feeding it are concerned, there appears to be every- 

 where, among those who have operated successful silos, a strong 

 conviction that good silage is a superior and cheap feed ; but the 

 same experience is now fast demonstrating serious imperfections 

 in the construction of perhaps a majority of existing silos in this 

 country. Some silos have so rapidly deteriorated as to become 

 utterly useless for the purpose for which they were intended in- 

 side of three or even two years, unless they are subjected to ex- 

 tensive repairs, while others have never successfully preserved the 

 materials placed in them. With a view to obviating these diffi- 

 culties in the construction of future silos, and of suggesting reme- 

 dies for the defects of existing ones, a study of tha actual con- 

 struction and condition of silos now in use has been undertaken 

 by F. H. King, physicist of the Wisconsin Agricultural Experi- 

 ment station. Thus far he has examined ninety-three sQos, and 

 the results of his labors, together with valuable suggestions about 

 the construction and repair of silos, are given in the July bulletin 

 of the station named. 



— Mr. O. Chanute, a well-known engineer of Chicago, having 

 during recent visits to Europe gathered much information con- 

 cerning the methods and results of preparing wood chemically to 

 resist decay, says he is confirmed in the opinion that the time has 

 arrived when great economies may be realized by the adoption of 

 these methods on railroads in many parts of this country. He 

 recently examined some experimental railroad ties of the most 

 perishable kinds of wood, prepared by what is known as the zinc- 

 tannin (Wellhouse) process, in St. Louis, in 1881 and 1883, and 

 laid in the tracks of the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railroad, 

 as Topeka, Kan., and La Junta, Col. After nine or ten years' 

 exposure they show excellent results, whereas they would have 

 lasted but from one to four years if unprepared. Unprepared ties 

 of the same kind of timber, laid at the same time, adjoining to 

 the prepared ties, have all decayed and been taken up, while pres- 

 ent appearances indicate that the prepared ties (red oak, black 

 oak, and Colorado pine) are likely to show an average life of ten 

 to fifteen years or more. Not only does the zinc-tannin process 

 preserve ties against decay, he says, but it hardens them as well. 

 It is found on one railroad that after three years' exposure treated 

 hemlock ties hold the spike as well and cut less under the rail 

 than imtreated white oak. He is convinced by experience that 

 on many raih-oads, where white oak is getting scarce, an economy 

 of a hundred dollars a year per mile of track can be effected by 

 preparing ties of inferior kinds of wood to resist decay by the 

 process mentioned. 



— The Leland Stanford Junior University of California has an- 

 nounced the names of the members of its faculty. The professor- 

 ships in engineering and scientific studies are held as follows: 

 John Casper Branner, formerly of the University of Indiana, pro- 

 fessor of geology (work to begin in 1892); Oliver Peebles Jenkins, 

 formerly of De Pauw University, professor of physiology and his- 

 tology; John Henry Comstook, formerly of Cornell University, 

 non-resident professor of entomology (resident in January. Feb- 

 ruary, and March) ; John Mason Stillman, formerly of the Uni- 

 versity of California, professor oS industrial and inorgani'? chera- 



