EDITORIAL. 
3 
belief of times gone by, the clog is often suffering with it. It 
may localize itself in the kidney, giving rise to lesions of soften¬ 
ing and throwing in the urine considerable quantities of bacilfi. 
Again, see the danger of the propagation, which is so much 
greater that canine tuberculosis is easily overlooked. It is often 
manifested by productions of neoplastic appearance, which re¬ 
semble more those of cancer than of tuberculosis. 
“ These home pet animals are yet more dangerous. Those 
among you who have been in my laboratory have seen a parrot, 
now dead, which had cutaneous tuberculosis. As is commonly 
the case, this bird had been infected by her owner, who had ad¬ 
vanced tuberculosis, and the bacilli of human origin had invaded 
the skin of the head of the bird and promoted the growth of 
warty lesions. In cases of this kind the animal, annoyed by these 
growths, scratches itself as it can; scabs of the skin get loose. 
They are particularly rich in virulent bacilli. Their dissemina¬ 
tion spread the disease, and the infection is so much more dan¬ 
gerous than passing from the parrot; the pathogenous agent 
seems to have gained more infectious power. What is the end 
of the history of this bird? The first owner died. By his will 
the parrot went to a young woman, healthy and strong. After 
a few months she began to cough, to lose flesh. Affected with 
acute tuberculosis, she died in less than a year. No one around 
her had suspected the cause or origin of her disease. Her physi¬ 
cian had never suspected it. Having become too homely, no one 
wanted the bird any more, and he was sent to my laboratory, 
where, for those who have seen his lesions, a diagnosis will re¬ 
main evident and easily confirmed by bacteriologic examination. 
“ This observation shows the interest pertaining to the study 
of comparative pathology. It is not an isolated fact. It shows 
the responsibility of the physician who is ignorant of the peculiar 
characters of tuberculosis in animals. 
“ Similar remarks can be applied to a great number of human 
infections of animal origin—anthrax, glanders, rabies, foot and 
mouth disease, etc.—which we will consider during this course, 
