The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-26
INSISTS THAT TUBERCULOSIS Is
NOT TRANSFERABLE FROM
ANIMAL TO MAN
READS a PAPER BEFORE THE
TUBERCULOSIS CONGRESS
He Cites Evidence in Support of His
Contention and Insists That Social
ed Cases Showing the Contrary Have
Not Been Proved Consumption
Through Skin Lesion.

today's session Of the international
end of the sitting in the form Of pa
per by Prof. Koch, in which he main
tanned all his former positions regard
ing the on-transferability of animal
tuberculosis to man. Prof. Koch began
by stating that he spoke at the desire
Of the central committee. He wished
it to be understood that he repeated his
statements as to the impossibility of
communicating bovine tuberculosis to
human beings. He stated the statistics
of animal tuberculosis was too incom-
plete to establish the frequency of that
disease. Some professors claimed, said
the speaker, that internal tuberculosis
is very common in the United States
and England, while other authorities
hold the contrary view. The cases Of
the disease are not frequent in Ger
many. An inquiry instituted by the
, government has proved the rarity Of
such cases.
Taking up the alleged reports that
human beings might be affected by bo-
vine tuberculosis through skin LESSONS,
Prof. Koch admitted that cases of tub
erculosis do occur among butchers and
other persons who handle animals.
Fails to See the Connection.
He could not see any connection be-
tween a skin lesion and tuberculosis
ending in death like the case alleged
Of a certain workman who scratched
his hand and finally developed con-
sumption. The experiments on mon
keys which were inoculated with ba-
cili and died subsequently are, accord
ing to Prof. Koch, only indirect proof
Of the, transferability of animal tuber-
culosis.
If" said the professor, infection is
SO frequent through milk, positive
proof ought to be obtained.
When poisoned meat is eaten in a COM
lnunity widespread effects follow.
Does general infection follow the eat
ing of tuberculous meat or the drink
ing Of milk from a tuberculous COW?
Experts assert that large amounts of
tuberculous meats are consumed daily,
ana not only the flesh, but even tubers
culous organs are made use Of for food
and no widespread infection follows.
In view of Quantity of tuberculous
meat eaten and the rarety of internal
cases, the question must be ked why
tuberculous meat is apparently SO
harmless why is it not the same with
milk? People think that boiled milk is
harmless, but boiling does not ex-
terminate tuberculosis bacteria, and
sterilizing milk impairs its quality.
Why is 1t that the public is so ner-
vous about milk. yet will eat meat In
without hesitatione The fact is that
most people have eaten tubercular ba-
cilli Why is not the infection wide
spread?"
Known but Not Proved.
Prof. Koch declared that two cases
of alleged general Infection were
known to him and these two were not
proved. He did not affirm, he said,
that the transmission of tuberculosis
from animal to man was impossible,
but that cases Of the kind were ex-
tremely rare, If they did occur. He had
investigated twenty eight cases of ap-
parent transmission of tubercular ba-
cilH-a, very small cumberland in
none of these could the source of the
infection be stated positively, the data
being incomplete.
Last year Prof. Koch received let
ters from people who had drunk tu-
berculous milk for years and who had
only learned upon the death of the
COW, the animal whose milk they had
been drinking. had tuberculosis.
He appealed to the central committee
to collect trustworthy data and espe-
ciaIly to ascertain what proportion of
persons using the same meat and milk
remained unaffected where transmits
sion Of tuberculosis was reported. AS
the matter stands no satisfactory proof
exists.
Economic, Not Sanitary.
IF measures are taken to combat
animal tuberculosis" went on Prof.
Koch, "tlley must be on economic, not
sanitary, grounds. In order to combat
the disease we must find the root Of
the evil, establish better dwelling and
workshops, avoid overcrowding and
isolate persons who suffer with tuber-
cular bacilli. This is the only way to