220 
SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
Owing to the virulence of the germ of tuberculosis and the sus¬ 
ceptibility of the human body to its ravages, and knowing as 
we do that large quantities of flesh are devoured in a semi- 
cooked condition, it places the disease of tuberculosis paramount 
to all others for our most careful observation. 
Being the possessor of a ravenous appetite the hog gathers 
his food from various channels and eats freely and apparently 
with relish the excrement of all domestic animals. He accepts 
with apparent gratitude contaminated food which is refused by 
his co-partners. He is fed upon the refuse of the culinary de¬ 
partment, he is the adjunct of economy to all creameries and 
cheese factories, he receives his portion from the dairy and is 
allowed the privilege of dining upon the milk from the cow 
supposedly suffering from “ garget ” or “weed,” which is in the 
majority of cases tuberculosis. He thrives and lays on fat when 
allowed to devour the unfortunate ones of his own species, as 
well as those of the equine or bovine tribe, and it is an undis¬ 
puted fact that many animals which have succumbed to divers 
diseases are drawn to the swine feeding lots in preference to a 
burial, and some unscrupulous dealers count heavily to gain on 
such fat-producing elements as a dead horse or beef. Thus it is 
that our swine have great range for infection and owing to the 
fact that they are usually slaughtered from nine months to two 
years of age, the disease seldom reaches that stage where emaci¬ 
ation is a marked symptom. In this condition of apparent 
health together, with the rapidity with which the swine pass 
through our large packing plants, it requires the most careful 
observation and the faithful attention of the inspector to detect 
its presence. A number of cases will present lesions quite ob¬ 
scure, while the majority show well-marked and distinctively 
well-formed alterations. Tuberculosis in swine, like that of 
other animals, may be found in any organ or tissue of the body, 
but, unlike that of cattle, the spleen seems to become one of the 
primary seats of affection and appears to supply a fruitful soil 
for its development. The liver, lungs, lymphatics, serous mem¬ 
branes, kidneys and bone lend support largely to its develop¬ 
ment, and owing to the fact that the seat of infection is largely 
through the ingesta, we find the abdominal viscera to be quite 
often affected and sometimes find tubercular ulcers situated 
along the lining of the intestines and tubercular products in a 
stage of development along the submucuous or muscular coats. 
The spleen upon microscopical examination presents broad, 
flattened nodules, yellow in color, gradually blending into the 
