3S2 
EDITORIAL. 
to consider the bacilli of man and of bovines as two distinct spe¬ 
cies. All the facts accumulated in bacteriology demonstrate the 
extreme variability of microbian species, and it can be taken into 
consideration that, according to the conditions of life imposed by 
the hazards of contagion, the tuberculous bacillus adapts itself 
more particularly to such organism where it requires all its well 
characterized specific qualities. 
The bacteriological identification of the samples of bacilli 
isolated from man gives precise notion of the unicity of the spe¬ 
cies of the bacillus of Koch. Statistics show, if the perfect value 
of the modes of bacillar identification are admitted, that about 
10% of the cases of human tuberculosis proceed from an infec¬ 
tion by bovine bacillus. It can also be asked if such bacillus 
taken from a patient and which possessed all the characters of 
the human bacillus was not itself, at the beginning of the infec¬ 
tion, of bovine type. Numerous experiments show, in fact., the 
possibility of giving to the bacillus of Koch peculiar pathogenous 
qualities. 
Finally, it would be also proper to take in consideration, in 
the appreciation of the possibilities of the transmission of bovine 
tuberculosis to man, of the difficulties of re-inoculation of an or¬ 
ganism so readily a carrier of a latent or occult tuberculous 
lesion. 
Conclusions: The bacteriologic study of the few last years 
has shown that human and bovine tuberculosis proceed from a 
unique bacillar species, susceptible, like various microbian types 
known, to adapt itself to the organisms that it infects and to ac¬ 
quire with each of its adaptations specific qualities. 
Bovine tuberculosis is transmissible to man and principally to 
children. 
Without giving to this peculiarity more importance than it 
deserves and zvhile observing that the majority of the cases of 
human tuberculosis proceed from contagion between human be¬ 
ings , it is necessary to maintain entirely and even increase the 
precautionary measures already taken against bovine tuber¬ 
culosis. 
