THE VETERINARIAN AS A SANITARIAN. 
373 
That ever deceptive and cruel tormentor of so many 
precious lives, fickle and disappointing in all its promises, to 
which the entire world, from time immemorial, has rendered 
up its share to satisfy in vain its ravaging demands, popu¬ 
larly known as consumption, is to-day of such importance to 
us as veterinary sanitarians, that I might dwell wholly upon 
this one topic, to sufficiently warrant you, Mr. President, in 
assigning to me this subject for consideration. 
Tuberculosis in all its allied forms and power, fully de¬ 
structive character, baffling in treatment, and eradicating the 
lucid minds and brains of all ages, gathering only greater 
power and scope in its limits as time went on, until we 
had learned to tolerate its existence as a necessary evil, 
and to abandon all hope of remedying its inroads as hun¬ 
dreds by hundreds, thousands by thousands fell annually by 
the waysides, victims to its death grasp. 
The humble victim as he passed us by, received only at 
our hands the commonplace pity of poor fellow, and the 
journals and news gatherers seemed only ready to chronicle 
his death, and summarize from year to year the awful num¬ 
bers added to the countless thousands gone before. 
A few short months ago the world was startled by the 
announcement of the claims of Prof. Koch, who many months 
before had discovered the tubercular bacilli, and following 
up his investigations, at last seemed prepared to claim the 
power to cure this fateful malady, and the world paused to 
bow, in humble attitude, before this great investigator ; all 
eager to do him honor, and render up thanksgiving and 
prayer for this boon that promised so well; from every nook 
and corner of the earth all eyes were turned towards Ger¬ 
many, and from every center of medical learning the rapid 
tramp of footsteps could be heard as the last preparations 
were being completed to journey toward this wonderful 
Mecca, to learn of its means of use, its power of restoration, 
and witness its wonderful and miraculous achievements. 
But all this seemed short lived, and the weary tread of dis¬ 
appointed footsteps came slowly back upon our ears, and 
for the present we have yielded up the high hopes we had 
