TUBERCULOSIS. 
451 
sation. This is the arm furnished by M. Lydtin to destroy 
the plague of bovine tuberculosis—compensation for slaugh¬ 
ter of the animals attacked or suspected of the disease, com¬ 
pensation for the seizure and destruction of tuberculous flesh 
because there is danger in consuming it.” 
It is necessary to examine whether compensation ought to 
be granted in every case of seizure. M. Rossignol presented 
some important observations to the Brussels Congress. He 
drew a distinction between the lean animal with a diseased 
aspect, in which tuberculosis may be suspected, and the fat 
animal, in good external condition, in which tuberculosis ex¬ 
ists unknown to the purchaser and the seller. In the second 
case it is proper to award compensation, but in the first it 
ought to be refused, lest the trade in inferior and doubtful 
animals should become a very lucrative business. 
The proposition of M. Rossignol is equivalent to compen¬ 
sating the conscientious and honest rearer or butcher, and of 
leaving to the cost of their owner the animals whose condi¬ 
tion betrays some internal lesion—animals which should have 
been in good faith, notified to the sanitary service as sus¬ 
pected of tuberculosis. 
The idea is excellent in the main. But one may ask 
whether in practice it would not raise some great difficulties. 
Upon what basis would the distinction between fat and lean 
animals be established ? There is a scale of degrees of fat¬ 
ness as numerous and varied as that of colors. It is greatly 
to be feared that the decision of the inspectors would often 
raise protests, and that they would be taxed with being arbi¬ 
trary. 
The duty would be much more simple if no distinction 
were established. In adopting the proposition of M. Rossig¬ 
nol, the cost would not be heavy, for tuberculous animals in 
almost nine cases out of ten are found in the category of pas¬ 
sable or middling. 
At what rate would it be necessary to fix the amount of 
compensation ? 
The amount of compensation ought to be calculated on 
the actual loss imposed upon the proprietor or the butcher 
by the seizure. 
