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32
TUBERCULOUS MILK.
In November last some details were published with regard to milk samples
examined for tuberculosis at the Lister Institute for the London County
Council, under the provisions of Part IV. of the London County Council
(General Powers) Act, 1907, that became operative on 1st July, 1908.

The examination of 92 of the above showed that 22, or 23.9 per cent., were
tuberculous.
Nineteen of the 22 cows supplying tuberculous milk were examined by a
Veterinary Inspector, and 10 of them were reported to have tuberculous
udders.
These results are even more disturbing: than those found in the City. The
danger of allowing such a state of things to exist is emphasised by the
publication in January of this year of the Third Interim Report of the Royal
Commission appointed to enquire into the relation between human and animal
tuberculosis, which states that:
“ The presence of tubercle bacilli in the milk of cows clinically
“ recognisable as tuberculous confirms the opinion we expressed in our
“ Second Interim Report, that the milk of such cows must be considered
“ dangerous for human beings.
“ The experiments which we have carried out with regard to the
“ infectivity of the faeces of tuberculous cows were dictated by knowledge
“ of the fact that dirt of various kinds from cows and the cow-shed 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 all 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