740 



Human AND Animal Tuberculosis, [march, 



these means the disease quickly spreads, and, aided by bacteria, 

 the tubers are soon reduced to a soft, foetid mass, the skins alone 

 remaining intact. During the following season the most perfect 

 stage of the fungus, in the form of minute crimson-red points, 

 develops on the skin of diseased tubers. The spores of this 

 stage germins.te in the soil and infect future crops. 



The best preventive against winter-rot is to make certain that 

 the potatoes are well dried before storing, during which process 

 they should be sprinkled with powdered sulphur, which not only 

 destroys the fungus but also holds in check mites, woodlice, u:c., 

 which, by their movements, convey the spores from one potato 

 to another. " Pits " or " clamps " should be well ventilated. 



Land that has produced a diseased crop will certainly be in- 

 fected, and potatoes should not be planted again for some years. 

 Lime, or preferably kainit, should be applied to infected land. 



The figure shows diseased tubers bearing white tufts of the 

 fungus, the condition most usually seen. 



The Royal Commission on Tuberculosis (Human and Bovine) 

 appointed in August, 1901, have now issued a Second Interim 

 Report* containing a detailed account of 

 Human the results which were briefly stated in the 



The Commission were directed to inquire and report with 

 respect to tuberculosis : — (i) Whether the disease in animals and 

 man is one and the same ; (2) whether animals and man can be 

 reciprocally infected with it; (3) under what conditions, if at 

 all, the transmission of the disease from animals to man 

 takes place, and what are the circumstances favourable or 

 unfavourable to such transmission. 



As it was desired that the inquiry should be essentially an 

 experimental one, the Commission decided, in the first instance, 

 not to examine witnesses, but to institute the fullest possible 

 experimental research in laboratories under its own direct con- 

 trol. It was decided to carry out two independent investigations, 

 one with tuberculosis occurring \u bovine animals, and the other 



and Animal 

 Tuberculosis. 



First Interim Report, and of the progress 

 which has since been made in the in quir}'. 



* Cd. 3322, Price gld. [The first Interim Report (Cd. 2092. Price id.) was sum- 

 marized in this June, 1904. p. 16 r.] ; ■ 



