View report page

9
to tuberculosis, certainly is much influenced by the presence of the
tubercle bacillus in the system The mortality amongst children from
these tuberculosis diseases does not diminish, and for the last few
years much attention has been paid in order that meat and milk
shall be supplied to the public absolutely free from any suspicion
of the tubercle bacillus. Public opinion has been so brought to bear
upon this most important matter that many proprietors of the larger
dairies are now prepared to guarantee that their herds are under the
supervision of veterinary surgeons, and that any animal showing the
slightest suspioion of tuberculosis is at once submitted to the
tuberculin test, and condemned if found to re-act. The milk is
also constantly tested both as to its quality and freedom from
bacteriae. In the report on tuberculosis, issued by the British
Medical Association in January of this year, exactly the same line
of argument is used as appeared in my report for last year, viz.:
That although the infection of tuberculosis in milk can be destroyed
by boiling, or sterilisation, that as milk can be obtained free from
tuberculous infection if the cows which yield it are ascertained to
be free from tuberculosis by the tuberculin test, it appears to be
undesirable to relieve wholesale and retail vendors of their responsibility
in this regard, by recommending the boiling of milk as the
only safeguard.
As regards the risk of tuberculosis from eating meat from
infeoted animals, the time will come when the carcasses of all animals
slaughtered will have to be passed by competent inspectors as fit
for consumption, and all imported meat will have to undergo the
same ordeal, but at present, and so long as private slaughter-houses
are in existence this inspection can hardly be said to be practicable.
The question of notifying phthisis pulmonalis and other diseases
of a tuberculous nature, can, I think, hardly be recommended from
the standpoint of utility; but it would be decidedly advisable that
the rooms vacated, from any cause, by patients suffering from pulmonary
consumption should be thoroughly disinfected, and that
during the treatment of a case due regard should be paid to the
disposal of the sputa, and all such other precautions taken as to
prevent, as far as possible, the spread of the disease.