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80
An examination of the table of results of analysis will show that
much the most common adulteration is that of added water. It is
of course, the easiest to manage and appears to the offender a less
formidable undertaking than absolutely "tampering" with the
milk.
Report of Royal Commission on Tuberculosis.
On 2nd February an interim report of this Commission recorded
a series of experiments with the bovine tubercle bacillus (i.e., the
tubercle bacillus derived from tuberculous disease in the cow) and
the human tubercle bacillus (derived from tuberculous disease in
man). As the practical conclusions of the Commission concern the
conveyance of this disease by means of milk, reference is made to
the subject in the present Section.
1. The Bovine Tubercle Bacillus, when injected, has now been
shown to set up a general progressive or a limited retrogressive
tuberculosis with fatal results in the animal inoculated, young pigs
being particularly susceptible. The factors determining the extent
or degree of the disease produced are the dose of the virus and the
susceptibility of the animal. It is important to note that the
anthropoid ape, so nearly related to man, readily contracts
generalised tuberculosis by feeding on material impregnated with
the bovine tubercle bacillus.
2. The Human Tubercle Bacillus also produced like results, and its
effect appeared to the Commission to be "absolutely identical with
the effects of the bacillus of bovine tuberculosis." "We have,"
the Commissioners say, "wholly failed to discover any essential
differences between the one and the other; both are equally able to
set up tuberculosis in bovine and other animals." These words
apply to a strain of the human bacillus resembling the bovine
baci'lus. Experiments were also made with a strain of lower
virulence which did not set up generalised tuberculosis, and the
Report contains a number of scientific facts respecting the
character of different forms assumed by the tubercle bacillus
whether of bovine or human origin. It was found that these
differences were of degree only.