The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-03-02
COWS CAUSE CONSUMPTION.

| Df. benf1uR Oh bcEhluS nun NOEcAAAsa
Delved IntoImportans Problem ans
Calls for. Conscription Of Contain
mated Kline. Other Eminent Doc
tors Agree with HIS, Opinion.
Berlin, Feb. 2O-Whether consump
ton is hereditary and can be acquired
by inhalation, or whether these condi
tions do not count in spreading the
dread disease, is the question at issue
between two noted scientists, each o1
whom is famous for curing consump
ton. Prof. Fraepkel and Prof. Bagin'
sky, on the one side, and Prof. Behrine
on the other. ,.-.
American readers learned the sub
stance of Prof. Behring's contention
running counter against. the old he.
reditary and inhalation theories from
the cable dispatches, but on account
Of the importance Of the subject te
millions Of sufferers and to millions
more, that will be sufferers unless the
disease Is hemmed in, q couplete out.
line of the scientific facts on hand
should be given. ,.i..
Your correspondent asked Prof
Behring to addhce for the benefit oi
the readers Of the Chronicle such oi
the AZ "theses" on consumption
which he submitted to; the Medical
society, and preceding compliance
with the request; the professor sum.
marized his investigation on con.
sumption as follows! n. ...,.::....' -.
i: ABOUT CONSUMPTION
The majority of consumptiyes con-
tract the disease from the milk OF
tuberculous COWS. The possibility OF
hereditary disposition I deny. The
child Of consumptive parents may
grow up healthy man or woman, II
treated right from bis Infancy.
I do not believe that consumption
can be CONTRACTED by inhalation. OF
course, vitiated air In houses and
otherwise predisposes to maladies OF
all sorts. The lungs must have fresh
air-f they do pot get It, llness Will
result.
"Infants infected by consumption
may not become consumptives for q
number of years, for consumption has
i tendency to remain latent in the
young. r'>'''. -,
"T6e government shonld kill and
destroy consumptive cows, wherever
found, reimbursing the proprietors,
unless culpable neglect Is shown.
Cows milk can be improved by add
ing to It quantities offormalin In doses:
one to five thousand.
THESES SUBMITTED TO scIENT1sTs.
Thesis I-Long continued exper.
iments have settled beyond doubt
shat consumption of the lungs is
caused by food containing turberculous
bacilli. The lungs are attacked by
tie bacilli taken into the body by
way of the throat. Tuberculous ba.
cilli do not enter the lungs In any
other way, particularly not by inhala-
ion.. -.
;. Thesis lit is,very likely that In
every well-peopled community most
men and women suffer infection from
tuberculosis al one or another time OF
tGeir lives. Whether the infection
"takes,n resulting In temporary or
fatal malady, depends upon the quail
ity and quantity Of the bacllfi, and at
the same time, upon the physical and
physiological condition Of the person.
Whether the infection is merely acci-
dental or permanent Is also decisive
one way or the other. -. -. :.
Thesis XIII deny that there is
proof beyond reasonable doubt for as
sumption, or contention, that q grown
person ever contracted consumption
by mere inhalation, neither cohsump-
tion, pneumonia nor bronchial con-
sumption, nor consumption ,.of the
throat, etc., was ever proven to have
been contracted In such manner, un-
less the person was previously infect
ed and therefore supersensitive to the
| tuderculous poison: "::' :
Thesis XfII-Some scientists hold
that bacilli swept into the intestinal
channels may produce consu mption,
but my investigations show that the
digestive fluids and the nature Of the
mucous and pituitous tunicles in q
sound person are able to throw of
these pOisons. AS matter Of fact,
lthese apparatuses act as naturel pro-
tectors against consumption.
Thesis XIV-Where intestinal con.
\ sumption develops in grown persons;
| it Is safe to assume that it was carried
into the body by food-stufs contain.
ling the poisonous bacilli. .
Thesis XV-Primary condition fol
i the development Of intestinal CON
sumption Is previous infection by ba'
cilli. Such may it be ever 80 slight
makes the human body super-sensitive
to the poison, predisposing 1t for the
dread malady. ;"'
Thesis XXII-Persons of.all a9ei
are liable to contract consumption
from food containing bacilli, though
it Is q fact that consumption very fire.
uuently slumbers In the young. ready
to develop at the prov0cation describ
i ed. Primary infection may take
place at the following periods of life
i First, in infants; secondly, at the ag,
OF puberty; thirdly, at the age Of viril
ity; and fourthly, at the age OF sen
lility. .:. -.
Thesis XXIII-Infantile infection
with tuberculosis, produced by moth
pr's milk or cows milk containing
the dangerous bacilli, predisposes mar
: or woman primarily to consumption
of the lungs. Henceforth, care agains
{ consumption must begin in the era
die, or before. No child should bt
sucked by consumptiye mother Of
wet-nurse, and the greatest possible
care should be exercised to procure
good, pure milk, that is. milk from
J, healthy non-tuberculous COWS.
Thesis XXXIX-ro stop consump
; ton or at least reduce the rayages o
1.-The malady, it Is absolutely necessary
, that the state take q hand in confisca
ting and destroying cows affected will
tuberculosis.
Secondly-That all persons suffering
of the disease must be excluded from