In a village, C., near Weimar, where for many years no case of tubercular
phthisis had taken place, two years ago several families suddenly
discovered one of their members to be suffering from the disease. After a
long inquiry, it was discovered by accident that all these families had
been buying their spring chickens from one and the same place, viz., from
a private hospital in the neighborhood. A medical student brought the
livers of two such chickens to Prof. Johne, in Dresden. The student, whose
own sister had become affected with consumption, had lived during his
vacation at home with his parents, in C., and he had there at dinner
observed the peculiar appearance of the liver of the chickens.
On examination, both organs were found to be full of tubercular bacilli. A
thorough investigation was at once instituted, and it was then that the
fact came to light that the chickens eaten by the families, members of
which had been affected with tuberculosis, had all been brought from the
institution mentioned. On further inquiry at the latter place the
following facts were elicited:
At about the time when the first case of consumption occurred in the
village, an inmate or the hospital, Mrs. R., had died of the disease.
Before her death, Mrs. R. used to feed the chickens raised there; she was
often seen first to chew the meat before she gave it to the chickens.
Further, the spittoons were emptied on a place in the yard where the
chickens generally came to pick up any stray corn.
As none of the chickens ever came in contact with any animals in the
neighborhood--the hospital being situated at a considerable distance from
the village--as no disease had happened among them until the arrival of
Mrs. R., when soon after an epidemic seemed to break out among them, and
many died, there is no doubt that they contracted the disease from Mrs.
R., and in return infected those who ate their flesh.
The case is very interesting, first, as it proves how such animals may
become affected, then how they may spread the disease, and lastly, that
some kind of a disposition must exist in the person infected; for here, of
many who had eaten of the diseased flesh, only a few contracted the
malady. The whole report teaches us how careful we have to be, and how
necessary is the appointment of skillful experts by the State to inspect
all food offered for sale.--_Med. and Surg. Reporter._
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