May 23, 1884.] 
ing so wide-spread among domestic animals, 
it necessarily affects humanity in this direction 
also. 
The report before us is a valuable summary 
of the condition of scientific knowledge at the 
present day, upon this question, in its relation- 
ship to domestic animals, and, through them, 
to mankind. It begins with an account of the 
nomenclature of the disease from the earliest 
times to the present, discusses the best means 
of diagnosis, the course and the anatomical 
appearance of the disease. In regard to the 
latter point, the conclusion already generally 
accepted by medical men is reached, that the 
‘criterium’ of the disease must be sought in 
the irritant which causes it, and that this irri- 
tant is found in the bacillus of Koch. In con- 
nection with this portion.of the report, there 
is a very good discussion of the predisposing 
causes of the disease (pp. 35-49), followed by 
a consideration of the animals (other than cat- 
tle) that are known to be subject to attack 
by it. The conclusion is reached, after all 
this, that ‘‘ tuberculosis is, of all maladies 
affecting the domesticated animals, that which 
is the most wide-spread, and which, of all 
others, most deserves the qualification of ‘ pan- 
zooty.’ ”’ 
The second chapter of the book is devoted 
to a consideration of the question, ‘‘ What is 
the influence of heredity on the propagation of 
tuberculosis?’’ (pp. 55-68.) After the con- 
sideration and quotation of many cases and 
authors, a number of conclusions are reached, 
of which the last seems to contain the essence, 
— ‘‘ that tuberculous parents may transmit to 
their progeny a predisposition to tuberculo- 
sis.”’ 
The second question, ‘‘ What is the influence 
of contagion on the propagation of tuberculo- 
sis?’’ receives very thorough consideration. 
A large number of authors— from Ruhling in 
1774, to Villemin and Koch in our own day — 
are cited to prove the contagious nature of the 
disease. A summary of the reasons for the 
opinion that animal and human tuberculosis 
are one and the same is given (pp. 85-98) ; 
and this portion of the work is concluded by 
a short résumé of Koch’s labors on this dis- 
ease. 
The discussion of the third question, ‘‘ What 
are the preventive measures which should be 
had recourse to, in order to arrest the injuri- 
ous effects which may result from the use of 
the flesh and milk of tuberculous cattle? ’’ 
is opened with a review of the ancient laws 
against the use of diseased meat, together 
With some account of the various attempts 
SCIENCE. 
635 
made in more recent times to regulate this 
traffic. 
The two plans for the regulation of the sale 
of diseased meats are thus summarized: ‘‘a, 
All preventive measures may be reduced to 
the simple advice to cook the flesh well before 
eating it; and, 0, Flesh of tuberculous animals 
should be confiscated, either in every case, or 
in certain circumstances.’’ ‘The first method 
of procedure is unsafe; because, in the first 
place, it would probably not be thoroughly 
done, and, in the second place, a reeommenda- 
tion alone would not influence in the least those 
who are in the habit of eating raw or almost 
raw meat (a common practice in Central and 
North Germany). The objections to, and the 
difficulties in the way of, the adoption of the 
second method, that of regulation, are men- 
tioned, and discussed in an exhaustive man- 
ner; the effect of laws of partial or complete 
confiscation of affected animals is shown; the 
action of ‘ warranty ’ laws upon the morals of 
the butcher and owner, and the general effect 
of any attempt at regulation upon the cupidity 
of owners and of all concerned, are well illus- 
trated. 
A number of recommendations to the con- 
gress are made for adoption, too long for 
quotation, but seemingly based upon a firm 
ground-work of knowledge and experience. 
The report was brought on for discussion at 
so late a period in the session that not much 
was done in this direction. The sense of the 
meeting, however, seemed to be, that some law 
should be framed, restricting at least the sale 
of the meat of animals affected with tubercu- 
losis. 
The report, as a whole, contributes nothing, 
from an experimental point of view, to our 
knowledge of this disease, but, as before stat- 
ed, is a very complete résumé of the question 
as it stands to-day in its hygienic and pecun- 
iary relations. It will be of interest and im- 
portance to all veterinarians, as a summary of 
the knowledge thus far obtained, and as an 
index to the original sources from which this 
knowledge may be drawn. ‘To scientific men 
actually engaged in the working-out of the 
problem of the etiology of tuberculosis, it can 
be of interest only as presenting the case from 
the veterinarian’s stand-point. 
The book is well gotten up, and clearly print- 
ed, but few errors having escaped the eye of 
the proof-reader. For ourselves, we should 
prefer cyst to kyst. The addition of an index 
would have made the book more serviceable to 
the general reader, and for purposes of refer- 
ence. 
