INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF CATTLE. 439 



been reported, for the occupations of most of the patients did not bring 

 them into any relation whatever -with cattle. While the possibility of 

 such direct transmission is not denied, nevertheless it must be consid- 

 ered extremely rare. Practically the same position is maintained at 

 present by most authorities as regards the transmission of the disease to 

 man by eating meat. Israel, who has studied this question carefully, 

 found the disease in Jews who never ate pork" and who likewise were 

 protected by the rigorous meat inspection practiced by their sect from 

 bovine actinomycosis. Furthermore, it must be borne in mind that acti- 

 nomycosis is a local disease, causing great destruction of tissue where 

 the fungus multiplies, but very rarely becoming generally disseminated 

 over the body from the original disease focus. The fungus is only found 

 in places where the disease process is manifest to the eye or becomes 

 so in a very shorb time after the lodgment of the fungus. Only the 

 greatest negligence would allow the actually diseased parts to be sold 

 and consumed. Finally, this parasite, like all others, would be 

 destroyed in the process of cooking. The majority of authorities thus 

 do not believe that actinomycosis in man is directly traceable to the dis- 

 ease in animals, but are of the opinion that both man and animals are 

 infected from a third source. This source has already been discussed 

 above. How far these views may be modified by further and more 

 telling investigations of the parasitic fungus itself no one can predict. 

 There are still wide gaps in our knowledge, and the above presenta- 

 tion simply summarizes the prevailing views, to which there are, of 

 course, dissenters. An attempt to give the views of both sides on this 

 question would necessitate the summarizing and impartial discussion 

 of all the experiments thus far made — a task entirely beyond the 

 scope of the present work. 



Whether an animal affected with actinomycosis should be used for 

 human food after all diseased organs and tissues have been thoroughly 

 removed is a question the answer to which depends on a variety of 

 circumstances. Among these may be mentioned the thoroughness 

 of the meat inspection itself, which allows no really diseased animal 

 to x^ass muster; the extent of the disease, and the general condition 

 of the animal affected. 



If the tumors in the carcass are small, and not generalized, the 

 affected parts should be destroyed and the remainder may be used 

 for human food. When, however, the disease is sufficiently developed 

 to cause large swellings and abscesses which are freely discharging 

 pus into the alimentary canal, and when the general health of the 

 animal is affected, the carcass should be condemned, as the meat is 

 not in a proper condition for food. The carcass should also be 

 destroyed when the lungs or internal lymphatic glands are affected, or 

 when there are a large number of centers of disease scattered through- 

 out the body. 



flHogs are subject to actinomycosis. 



