The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-10
DEADLY BOTH WAYS
Effects Of Tubercle Bacilli Upon Cat
tie and Upon Human
Beings.
Conclusions From Government Tests
Are Accepted by Dr., P. N.
Hall Here.

Ottawa, Can, papers giving resume OF
the report of DR.. D. e. Salmon, chief Of
the United States bureau of animal in
dustry in the department of agriculture
on the transmissibility of tuberculosis
from cattle to human beings have been
received by the Minneapolis health de-
partment. DR.. Salmon's paper was read
before the American Veterinary Medical
association at it's annual meeting held at
Ottawa and was by far the most important
paper of the meeting. AS it was the first
public presentation of the extensive series
of experiments undertaken by the agricul-
tural department to- test the truth of Dr..
Koch's theory that bovine tuberculosis
could not be transmitted to human be-
ings.
DR.. Salmon referred to the idea once
prevalent among physicians, that tuber-
culosis was not communicable Abut only
hereditary, which idea was upset by the
discovery of the tubercule bacillus by
Koch In 1882, and to new doubts which
arose when in 1889 and 1890 marked diff
ferences between human and avian tuber-
culosis were discovered; also to later DIFF
ferences between human and bovine ba-
Gill; The theory of scientists was that
tubercle bacilli could be changed from
human to bovine or vice versa. In 1901
DR.. KOCH in paper read before the Brit"
ish congress on tuberculosis, said he felt
losis could not be transmitted to cattle.
Whether the converse was true, he was
not prepared to say, but he doubted
whether man could become inoculated
with bovine bacilli.
Tests at Washington.
To discover the soundness of Koch
theories, DR.. Salmon had two lines of ex-
periments made at Washington. Nine
cultures derived from human beings were
isolated. These were compared with viru-
lent bovine cultures, and two Of them
were found to be Identical. They were
tried on rabbits. guinea pigs, hogs and
calves, and so per cent of the cultures
from children were found to be virulent
for cattle.
In another division three virulent ba-
cilli were obtained from the human sub
ject. One goat inoculated died in thirty
seven days, another in ninety-five days
| and cat in twenty-three days. The re-
| suits Of the experiments went to show
| that there Is a difference in human tuber-
| Gle bac1lli. some producing fatal results In
cattle and some being harmless.
Transmission the Other Way.
AS to transmissibility of disease from
! cattle to men, DR.. Salmon said it was
absurd to cite statistics for primary
| LESSONS Of the intestine as an argument
for or against infection with bovine tuber-
| So1OSAS. AIlS ulOSI ul1IlCUlI requirements
formulated by those on the other side had
been fulfilled, and it had become neces-
sary to admit either that human and
bovine tuberculosis are Identical, or. that
| being different, the bovine form Is trans.
missible to man.
DR.. Salmon took up the rules Of DR.
Koch for tracing contagion and disposed
| OF them one by one to the satisfaction
| Of his hearers, concluding that the ex.
| perimental proofs Of tubercle bacilli II
human LESSONS, having all the virulence o.
| the bovine bacillus, are incontestable ant
| should cause sanitarians to take adequate
| precautions against infection thru thu
| products of diseased animals.
The paper was Endorsed by Mr.. Fisher
minister Of agriculture for the dominion
DR.. J. G. Rutherford the chief veterinary
inspector for the dominion; DR.. Montizm
bert, one of the worlds famous sanitar
ians, and DR.. Moore, secretary Of tn,
Canadian Society for the Prevention o
Consumption. They had all felt certain
that DR.. Koch was seriously mistaken
but were not in a position to disprove hi
assertions. .... .. -. .....-..
Conclusions Accepted by Dr.. Hall.
DR.. P. M. Hall, the health commission
er, and DR.. A. A. Keys, the city veter
marian, have read DR.. Salmon's repor
with much interest and satisfaction, as
completely sustains the position they hav
taken and which has governed them IL
their crusade against cattle in dairy herd
which are afflicted with tuberculosis.