390 
M. ARLOING. 
berculous lesions. It is universally admitted that if one eats 
tuberculous organs raw, and even cooked (for cooking does 
not always destroy the virulence), one will be much exposed 
to contract tuberculosis. But many persons think that, put¬ 
ting aside the tuberculous organs, the flesh, and especially the 
cooked flesh, may be eaten almost with impunity. Then, 
why withdraw from consumption a very considerable quan¬ 
tity of meat, and impose on agriculture, already greatly tried, 
a serious loss without any profit to alimentary hygiene ? 
Others believe that the flesh becomes dangerous in certain 
cases only. According to Gerlach these cases exist when 
“ the disease, starting from a limited focus of tuberculosis, 
spreads itself more or less generally throughout the organ¬ 
ism ; ” that is to say, when tubercular lesions exist in the lym¬ 
phatic glands adjoining the organs attacked with tuberculo¬ 
sis, when the presence of caseous foci, notably in the lungs, 
indicates that there has been disintegration of these, when 
there has been secondary extension of the tubercles, and, 
finally, when there is evident emaciation. In Johne’s opinion 
the flesh is dangerous only when generalisation of the tuber¬ 
culosis has taken place, that is to say, when the tuberculous 
substance, passing the lymphatic system of the‘affected vis¬ 
cera, has gained the thoracic duct and the blood-vessels. Ex¬ 
cept in these circumstances, Gerlach and Johne recommend 
the rejection of the organs that present tubercular lesions, 
and the consumption of the remainder. 
Hence arise three different systems of jurisprudence with 
regard to the carcases of tuberculous animals slaughtered for 
food :— 
1. That of allowing it to pass, guarded, however, by the 
recommendation to cook the meat well before eating it. 
2. That of partial seizure. 
3. That of total seizure in cases where the tuberculosis is 
generalised or accompanied by emaciation. 
At the Brussels Congress, M. Lydtin proposed the third 
of these methods, deduced from the opinions of Gerlach and 
Johne. He brought forward the motion in the following 
terms:— 
