The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-08-31

70 the body, lodges somewhere in the
tissues, and begins to grow and multi
ply at that point. AS this bacillus
vegetables and increases in numbers it
eXcreteS substances which act as irri-
tants and pOisons and which lead to the
formation OF small nodule, called a
tubercle, at the point of irritation. AS
the bacilli are disseminated through
the animal body they affect many points
and cause the formation of an enor.
nous number of tubercles. BY the
union of such tubercles masses of tu-
bercular material are formed, which in
some cases are Of great size. The dis
ease is called tuberculosis because it is
characterized by the formation of these
peculiar nodules, and the bacillus
which causes the disease is for the
same reason known technically as the
bacillus tuberculosis.
There are undoubtedly predisposing
conditions which contribute toward the
development of the disease; some of
these are found in the animal body and
others in the environment. An en-
feebled condition due to insufficient
food, exposure to great extremes OF at
mOspheric temperature and insanitary
surroundings or the drain OccasiOned
by heavy production of milk appears to
aid the development Of the bacillus,
and there is also special individual
susceptibility in some cases which may
be otherwise described as an inability
of the animal tissues to resist and de-
stroy the bacilli when they have pene-
trated to the inner recesses OF the body.
Among the conditions of environment
which aid the development OF tubercu-
losis may be mentioned stabling with
lack of ventilation damp buildings,
the keeping of many animals together,
drafts of air which cause colds and ca
tarrhs, and, in general, everything
which prevents the animals from de-
veloping and maintaining the highest
condition OF health. None OF these
conditions of body or environment are
sufficient to cause the disease, however,
unless the animals are exposed to the
bacillus tuberculosis and this bacillus
penetrates the tissues of their bodies.
The ways in which the tubercle ba-
cilli find their way into the body, IN
the order of their Importance, may be
considered under four heads: II by
Initiation into the lungs; (2) by taking
into the digestive tract in the milk OF
tuberculosis COWS or with other con-
tamipated food (3) during COTTON when
the sexual organs are tuberculous; (4)
from the tuberculous mother to the
fetus in the uterus. inhalation appears
TO be by far the most common mode o.
infection. The bacilli can only reach
the lungs by inhalation when they are
thoroughly dried and pulvsrized ana
in n condition to be carried by currents
of air.
II is well known that the bacllll wlth-
stand drying for months before they
lose their power of producing disease
They leave the body of diseased AMI
mails in several ways. There may be a
little discharge occasionally coushed
M from the diseased lungs or there
may he ulcers of the intestines from
which many bacilli escape are carr'eo
off with the excrcment, or milk may 'e
split, or there may be discharge from
the genital organs are tuberculous'
rho hacllli from these sources may DE-
come dried and pulverized and carried
IN the air of the stable and into the
lungs of still healthy cattle, where the
disease then develops.
The disease of the stomach ln'es'
tines. and mesenteric glands is very
probably the result of food infectioh'