45« 
AUSTIN PETERS. 
kept under unhealthy surroundings and forced to an enormous 
yield of milk, this single, ill-favored and lean-fleshed individual, 
will in time succeed in devouring the seven well-favored ones, 
notwithstanding the fact that the milk from this herd yields the 
greatly to be desired 13 per cent, of total solids, yet will there 
be “death in the pot,” or rather the milk-can, “consumption at 
eight cents a quart,” or cholera infantum at the same price, or a 
pleasing mixture of the two commodities combined. 
Admitting that tuberculosis is due to a specific germ, the 
bacillus of tuberculosis , and that it can be communicated from 
one animal to another of the same or a different species, by 
means of the expectorations after they become dry, or by the 
consumption of the flesh and milk, or dairy products of tuber¬ 
culous cattle, yet in order to appreciate the danger to human 
beings from the use of the dairy products of tuberculous cows, 
it is important to have some idea of its prevalence. 
It is an impossibility to get any statistics to show the extent to 
which this malady exists among our bovine population, but I think 
I can show that it is of sufficient frequency to be of very great im¬ 
portance from a sanitary and economic standpoint. Fleming, in 
his Manual of Veterinary Sanitary Science and Police, in speaking 
o■ the geographical distribution of this disease among animals 
says: “Tubercular phthisis, or tuberculosis probably prevails 
among the domesticated animals over the entire globe, though its 
frequency will depend upon various external influences, as well as 
the constitutional tendencies of different species and breeds. In 
some countries it is enzootic and very destructive. Such is the 
case in densely populated districts and in unhealthy climates, 
or in regions where animals are improperly fed and housed. In 
Mexico, for instance, it is very common, and causes much loss, 
about 34 per cent, of the animals slaughtered for food being 
found affected. In Europe, particularly in the cow-sheds of the 
large towns and cities, it is extensively prevalent; and in this 
country (meaning England) it has long been recognized as a 
common disorder among animals, but more especially as affect¬ 
ing the bovine species.” 
