Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 59.djvu/475

Rh body in the same way and thus originate other forms of tuberculosis. This, however, is a considerably rarer case. The sputum of consumptive people, then, is to be regarded as the main source of the infection of tuberculosis. On this point, I suppose, all are agreed. The question now arises whether there are not other sources, too, copious enough to demand consideration in the combating of tuberculosis.

Great importance used to be attached to the hereditary transmission of tuberculosis. Now, however, it has been demonstrated by thorough investigation that, though hereditary tuberculosis is not absolutely nonexistent, it is nevertheless extremely rare, and we are at liberty in considering our practical measures to leave this form of origination entirely out of account. But another possibility of tuberculous infection exists, as is generally assumed, in the transmission of the germs of the disease from tuberculous animals to man. This manner of infection is generally regarded nowadays as proved and as so frequent that it is even looked upon by not a few as the most important, and the most rigorous measures are demanded against it. In this Congress also the discussion of the danger with which the tuberculosis of animals threatens man will play an important part. Now, as my investigations have led me to form an opinion deviating from that which is generally accepted, I beg your permission, in consideration of the great importance of this question, to discuss it a little more thoroughly.

Genuine tuberculosis has hitherto been observed in almost all domestic animals, and most frequently in poultry and cattle. The tuberculosis of poultry, however, differs so much from human tuberculosis that Me may leave it out of account as a possible source of infection for man. So, strictly speaking, the only kind of tuberculosis remaining to be considered is the tuberculosis of cattle which, if really transferable to man, would indeed have frequent opportunities of infecting human beings through the drinking of the milk and the eating of the flesh of diseased animals. Even in my first circumstantial publication on the etiology of tuberculosis I expressed myself regarding the identity of human tuberculosis and bovine tuberculosis with reserve. Proved facts which would have enabled me sharply to distinguish these two forms of the disease were not then at my disposal, but sure proofs of their absolute identity were equally undiscoverable, and I therefore had to leave this question undecided. In order to decide it I have repeatedly resumed the investigations relating to it, but so long as I experimented on small animals, such as rabbits and guinea pigs, I failed to arrive at any satisfactory result, though indications which rendered the difference of the two forms of tuberculosis probable were not wanting. Not till the complaisance of the Ministry of Agriculture enabled me to experiment on cattle, the only animals really suitable for these investigations, did I arrive at absolutely conclusive results.