Is consumption contagious? : and can it be transmitted by means of food?

  • Clapp, Herbert C. (Herbert Codman), 1846-
Date:
1882
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Is consumption contagious? : and can it be transmitted by means of food?. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    In proof of this, Grad was shown a young cow, which, on examination, offered all the symptoms of tuberculosis ; such as excessive emaciation, skin cling- ing closely to the bones, frequent and feeble cough, etc. Its value in this condition was from thirty to forty francs. According to the farmer, the animal had been ten months in the stall, and when first placed therein it was in flourishing health; it was the fifth cow that had fallen into the same state in this stall Grad's attention could not but be strongly aroused by this report; nevertheless, he expressed his opinion that an hereditary tendency was doubtless the efficient cause in this succession of losses. Such, however, was not the opinion of the farmer, and it was at length agreed that Grad should choose a cow from another stable and put it in his stall, as an experiment. With this object a cow three years old, and in calf, was selected ; it had every appearance of perfect health, had been bred on the farm, had never been unwell, had never coughed, and none of its progenitors had been affected with tuberculosis. It was moved into the stall, and remained quite well until after calving, when a short cough was the first symptom observed. This cough increased in frequency, and emaciation gradually set in, with the usual cortege of symptoms accompanying tuberculosis distinctly marked; so that in about twelve months the creature was only the shadow of its for- mer self, and was sold for a trifle, like the others which had preceded it in the stall, to the low-class butchers. Grad could no longer resist the evidence in support