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25
1909. This further report contains an account of certain experiments which
have been carried out regarding the infectivity of the milk and faeces of
naturally infected tuberculous cows, i.e. cows that had contracted the disease
in the ordinary way. These experiments show that the presence of tubercle
bacilli in the milk of cows, clinically recognisable as tuberculous, confirms the
opinion expressed in the Second Interim Report, that the milk of such cows
must be considered dangerous for human beings. The experiments with
regard to the infectivity of the fæces of tuberculous cows were dictated by
knowledge of the fact that dirt of various kinds from cows and the cowshed is
almost constantly present in milk as it reaches the consumer. Cows suffering
from extensive tuberculosis of the lungs must discharge considerable numbers
of bacilli from the air passages in the act of coughing, and some of the bacilli
thus expelled may find their way into the milk. But the experiments indicate
that the excrement of cows obviously suffering from tuberculosis of the lungs
or alimentary canal must be regarded as much more dangerous than the
matter discharged from the mouth or nostrils. It was found that even in
the case of cows with slight tuberculous lesions tubercle bacilli in small
numbers are discharged in the fæces, whilst as regards cows clinically tuberculous,
the experiments show that the faeces, contain large numbers of living
and virulent tubercle bacilli.
The presence of tuberculous cows in company with healthy cows in the
cowshed is therefore distinctly dangerous, as some of the tubercle bacilli which
escape from their bodies in the excrement are almost certain to find their way
into the milk.

SHELTER DURING DISINFECTION OF HOUSES.
As the Council's Shelter for the accommodation of persons during the
disinfection of their houses at No. 191, High Holborn, was demolished in July,
D