THE TUBERCULIN TEST FOR TUBERCULOSIS IN MILCH COWS. 
■691 
to be everywhere. Tuberculosis is not a necessary evil. Two 
herds of the Red Danish race, that were fine specimens of their 
type, of 38 and 39 head respectively, were found to be absolntelv 
free from the disease. In these herds in-and-in breeding; had 
been extensively practiced ; a large number had descended from 
one cow purchased as far back as 1862. Though the condi¬ 
tions in these instances would seem to favor the development of 
tuberculosis, they have always been free from tubercular taint. 
In the district of Argenmnende, German}^ among 13,000 
head of cattle slaughtered none were found to be tuberculous, 
and in the district of Teltow, among 40,000 head killed, only 15 
cases appeared. On the other hand, in the German Kmpire, on 
an average, 16 per cent, to 25 per cent, of all the cattle killed at 
the slaughter-houses have been found to be consumptive. 
Although I do not wish to maintain that in the United 
States the condition of affairs in regard to bovine tuberculosis 
is as bad as in the older countries, it is my impression that the 
time has come when something should be done to control this 
plague, that is always a threat to man and a foe to the cattle in¬ 
dustry. I will not touch at this time upon the relationship of 
animal and human tuberculosis, suffice it to say that consump¬ 
tion of man and beast is one and the same disease, caused by 
one and the same bacterium, and that it is transmissible mutu¬ 
ally from beast to man and from man to beast. Although the 
natural infection of man, from the animal, has been somewhat 
exaggerated of late ; that such a transmission does occur and 
is always probable, no man who has given this vast subject 
thought, can honestly deny. 
Though from the flesh of tuberculous animals, if the disease 
be generalized, an infection ca 7 i take place, from the internal 
organs (viscera) and from the milk the disease is most commonly 
transmitted. It has been demonstrated that in the milk the 
germs of consumption have been found, even if the udder be 
apparently intact; and though the bacilli do not multiply in 
milk, they can, nevertheless, use this fluid as a convenient 
means of transportation and to infect susceptible individuals. 
