BOVINE TUBERCULOSIS. 
193 
series of experiments with cows which show no evidence of dis¬ 
ease on physical examination, but which do react with tuberculin. 
Judging from the results of Dr. Ernst’s experiments, and 
from the slight evidence of disease as shown by such post¬ 
mortem examinations as are reported by the Bureau of Animal 
Industry and the Hatch Experiment Station, I believe the milk 
of but a small fraction 1% of those animals would be found 
capable of producing the disease in rabbits or guinea pigs by 
either inoculation or ingestion. 
But the best evidence of the absence of great danger is to 
be found in such statistics as those collected by Dr. Watson, 
Secretary of the State Board of Health of New Hampshire. 
The statistics collected by him are collected from slaughter 
house reports, and show the amount of tuberculosis found in 
calves, and as calves are fed exclusively on raw cow’s milk they 
offer by far the best of natural experiments as to the amount of 
danger to human beings from the use of cow’s milk. 
In 23,557 calves slaughtered there were only 2 cases of tuberculosis. 
3°>477 
4 4 
44 
4 4 
4 4 
44 
1 
44 
44 
i43> 2lS 
4 4 
44 
4 4 
4 4 
4 4 
35 
44 
44 
23.592 
4 4 
44 
44 
4 4 
•4 4 
1 
4 4 
4 4 
8 co,ooo 
4 4 
44 
4 4 
4 4 
4 4 
5 
44 
4 4 
24.766 
4 4 
4 4 
44 
4 4 
44 
1 
4 4 
4 4 
85,685 
4 4 
4 4 
44 
4 4 
• 4 
26 
44 
4 4 
1 , 133,295 71—.006 per cent. 
Dr. Watson then goes on to show that the only explanation 
of these figures is that there are but “few bacilli in the milk of 
most tuberculous cows.” (N. H. Board of Health Report, 1892.) 
These statistics are further borne out by the Records of the 
Central Slaughter House, Berlin, which show “that between 
April 1, 1889, and March 31, 1890, 154,218 cattle and 125,338 
calves were slaughtered, of this number 1,397 cattle and only 30 
calves were tuberculous.” (Jour. Comp. Path., June, 1890.) 
My own personal experience bears this out. Some years 
ago I had the veterinary charge of a large dairy herd of about 
400 to 500 head, mostly Jerseys. Tuberculosis was very pre¬ 
valent in the herd. With the exception of the best of the 
