REMARKABLE DISCOVERIES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVII, Issue 139, 14 June 1913, Page 6

REMARKABLE DISCOVERIES.

RATS AFFECTED WITH

LEPROSY,

I MELBOURNE, May 26. ! Some years ago a rat, apparently J suffering from mange, was sent to Dr. | R-. J. Bull, of Melbourne University : Bacteriological Department. Dr. Bull ; announces1 that the rodent was sufferi ing from leprosy. I The idea of the rats spreading leprosy has been scoffed at by bacteriologists; but Dr Bull insists that Australian rats are subject to the disease, and,his knowledge of bacteriology is great. The rat-leprosy bacillus is not identical with the human bacillus, but there is a resemblance in microscopic appearance, and in special staining reactions. The organs also produce a minimum of tissne-degenetra-; tion which accounts for the fact that the disease in both, human and rat life j is chronic. i Another interesting announcement ■ is to-day made by Dr. Bull. He has

) received the results of Ekliriburgh ob-> | servations of bovine tubercule. ' stow that of seventy cases of bone and 1 joint tuberculosis in children twentyj six were affected by the human '• tubercule bacillus and forty-one with. ' the bovine; of the children up to the age of three years, twenty-three were bovine and five human, this large peroantage being apparently due to the I feeding with cows' milk. Seventy-one j per cent, of the eases where there was i tuberculosis in the family showed the i human bacillus, and most of these had been f«d on human milk.