452 Transactions. — Zoology. 



seventy post mortems in 1893, I felt convinced that tubercu- 

 losis could be easily demonstrated in some cases, but yet could 

 not understand why it should appear to be preceded by an 

 animal parasite — viz., Spiroj^tera reticulata. The photo- 

 graphs and specimens which I exhibit will show the nature of 

 the tuniours, of the size of a pea to the size of a large cocoa- 

 nut, in which is enclosed the worm which produces the lesions 

 referred to. 



Of the life-history of these parasites I am unable to give 

 any account, except that they are never found until an animal 

 has passed at least one summer of its existence on the pas- 

 tures, nor am I able to explain the way in which they gain 

 entrance to the body ; but it would appear that they are 

 probably lodged in the connective tissue by means of the 

 circulation, as the embryos are seen free in the tissue. On 

 the other hand, if the adult female should attach itself from 

 without, it could easily penetrate the fauces and gain en- 

 trance to the connective tissue, gliding down the neck to the 

 brisket, where they are most commonly found, always lying 

 between groups of muscles, and as low down as the stifle- 

 joint. Sometimes very large tumours are found at that point. 



I issued a report to the Queensland Government pointing 

 out the association of the animal and vegetable parasite exist- 

 ing in the same tumour, and in my opinion the Spiroptera 

 reticulata caused much of the mischief done (a primary lesion). 

 At the same time I prepared and sent to Dr. M. Armand 

 Euffer a section of the tumours, and in December following I 

 received a letter confirming the observation made by me. 

 This letter is appended hereto. 



In a letter signed " S. Bradbury," in tlie Live-stock 

 Journal, New South Wales, it is suggested that, if the state- 

 ment made by me were true, then 50 per cent, of cattle must 

 be affected with tuberculosis ; also, that such a statement, 

 if unchallenged, would damage the stock interests of the 

 colony. In the meantime the Queensland Government had 

 requested me to undertake another journey and further in- 

 vestigate the disease, and I carefully noted that sixty-three 

 out of seventy-seven cattle submitted to me for examination 

 harboured Spiroptera reticjtlata, or 80 per cent, instead of 50 

 per cent. : my 1894 examination thus confirming more fully 

 the statements of the previous year. By the specimens in 

 the tube you will observe every stage of degeneration. Under 

 the microscopes are sections of the tumours showing tubercle 

 bacilli, while the phagosites are seen destroying and digest- 

 ing the Spiroptera. Unless one studies this subject closely 

 it seems almost incredible that the cells in our bodies 

 could attack and destroy an animal so large as a worm ; 

 nevertheless it is a fact, and this is the " zooparastic tuber- 



