SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
225 
in swine tuberculosis, possibly acquires its infection through its 
office as a phagocytory protector and a receptacle for the storing- 
away of white globules. Venous blood leaving the spleen is 
vastly more rich in white globules than is arterial blood enter¬ 
ing that organ. The spleen is possessed of the double function 
of destroying worn-out and degenerated globules and building 
up, strengthening, protecting, and dealing out white globules 
to the circulatory fluid as they are needed. This organ while 
having the power to build up and protect white globules is 
known also to disintegrate sick and enfeebled ones. " Now that 
the phagocytes being charged with germs of tuberculosis have 
entered this organ to receive strength and protection, and beiim 
sick and enfeebled they may become disintegrated and devoured 
by the great amoeboid cells, their bacillus may be liberated 
making infection of .this organ possible. 
Rarely if ever is the practicing veterinarian called upon to 
treat tuberculosis and for that reason little is known of its ante¬ 
mortem appearances. However, we can expect the presence of 
such lesions as are commonly seen in other animals affected 
with the same malady, such as falling off in flesh, slightly ele- 
vated temperature, staggering- gait, possibly labored breathino- 
and an impaired appetite. 
Tuberculosis in swine seems to be of rare occurrence es 
pecially in the Western States. In these localities swine’are 
ed largely on cereals and are not exposed so much to contao-ion 
as swine raised in the Eastern States, where large numbers^are 
ed annually from the waste of dairies, creameries, and cheese 
factories. . Still, I am of the opinion that the disease is far more 
prevalent in the West than is generally supposed. I have found 
tuberculosis in a number of hogs which came from our Western 
States, and am satisfied that- the percentage affected is more 
liberal than it should be. 
. 1 havc never had the pleasure of experimenting by inocula¬ 
tion. However, the experience of others has taught us that the 
disease is easily transmitted to other animals, that the poison¬ 
ous germs from swine affected with tuberculosis is exceedino-ly 
virulent, that the disease becomes generalized much earlier and 
rims a more rapid course, due possibly to the rapid assimila¬ 
tion and building up of tissue, and that the dissemination of 
the germs in the muscular tissue exceeds that of other ani¬ 
mals. The liquor sanguinis pressed from the muscular tissue 
of a hog affected with tuberculosis will produce fatal tubercu¬ 
losis when injected into a guinea pig. 
