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that bovine and human Tuberculosis are manifestations of the same
disease. It has also shown that a large proportion of the Tuberculosis
of early life must be attributed to infection of bovine origin, and
that even Pulmonary Tuberculosis in man may be occasionally
attributed to bovine infection. An animal closely related to manthe
chimpanzee—has been shown to be equally susceptible to the
bovine and human tubercle germ ; the effects produced by these germs
in this animal, both by feeding and inoculation, with parallel doses,
being closely similar.
The Commissioners state in their final report : "Of young children
dying from Abdominal Tuberculosis, the fatal lesions can in nearly
half of the cases be referred to the bovine bacillus and to that germ
alone. In children, too, and often also in adults, suffering from
Servical Gland Tuberculosis, a large proportion of the cases examined
by us can be referred to the bovine type of tubercle bacillus." Then
again: "The evidence which we have accumulated goes to demonstrate
that a considerable amount of the Tuberculosis of childhood is
to be ascribed to infection with bacilli of the bovine type, transmitted
to children in meals consisting largely of the milk of the cow."
Again : "Bovine tubercle bacilli are apt to be abundantly present in
milk as sold to the public when there is tuberculous disease of the
udder of the cow from which it was obtained." This fact is, we
believe, generally recognised, though not adequately guarded against.
But this bacilli may also be present in the milk of tuberculous cows
presenting no evidence whatever of disease of the udder, even when
examined post-mortem. Further, the milk of tuberculous cows not
containing bacilli as it leaves the udder may and frequently does
become infected by being contaminated with the fæces or uterine
discharges of such diseased animal. " We are convinced that
measures for securing the prevention of ingestion of living bovine
tubercle bacilli with milk would greatly reduce the number of cases
of Abdominal and Cervical Gland Tuberculosis in children, and that
such measures should include the exclusion from the food supply of
the milk of the recognisable tuberculous cow, irrespective of the site
of the disease, whether in the udder or in the internal organs."