688 WEST OF SCOTLAND VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
same disease as tuberculosis in the bovine race; but in his 
opinion they bore no relation. In the human subject consump¬ 
tion is more fatal and is more common in young persons than in 
adults. Observations prove that children are predisposed to the 
disease, but cattle tuberculosis does not so much depend upon the 
condition of the body to tubercular deposit. He—Mr. Eordie— 
had observed these deposits to be frequent in plethoric animals, as 
well as in poor or lean-cattle. He was convinced of the fact by 
selecting and slaughtering a herd of stall-fed animals apparently 
in perfect health, but in which tubercles were, to his surprise, 
present to a great extent. The peritoneum is generally involved. 
He might say it was both an interesting and important question 
to solve, namely, whether or not tuberculosis is malignant or non- 
malignant in its nature. If we admit consumption in the human 
subject to be similar to tuberculosis in cattle, we cannot deny its 
malignancy; but I hold—he remarked—that it is not malignant 
to the same extent. National benefit would result by proving 
the disease to be non-malignant, especially when butchers* meat 
is so high in price, as thousands of animals would be saved 
annually for human food. If melanosis of the horse and tubercle 
of man be examined under the microscope, there is physically no 
difference. The consequences, however, are very different. In the 
horse melanosis is not fatal; in man it is very fatal, and in man 
also most malignant. When it proves fatal in the horse, Mr. 
Eordie was of opinion that death took place by mechanical pres¬ 
sure on a vital part. 
Mr. Wm. Anderson. — Melanosis is a disease which very 
often presents itself in the liver and other internal organs, besides 
affecting the skin ; although the most common seat of the disease 
is underneath the tail. In his opinion, whenever situated ex¬ 
ternally, there will be a great probability of melanosis being de¬ 
posited internally as well. 
Professor Williams .—Erom microscopical investigations made 
by some of the most eminent physiologists in Glasgow and 
Edinburgh of melanotic tumours which I had removed I look 
upon melanosis as a form of cancer. To me the structure re¬ 
sembled cancer; in one case thirty-five pounds were removed. The 
disease may, therefore, be said to be malignant, and to attack all 
kinds of structure, one or all at the same time. We must look 
on cancer in the lower animals to be almost identical with cancer 
in the human being, the principal difference being that cancer 
in the human subject speedily takes on the process of softening, 
whereas in the lower animals this does not so frequently occur. 
So long as it forms and does not interfere with any vital spot, it 
is looked upon as an excreted material. 
Mr. W. Anderson .—I can give you an instance of a case of 
