132 QUARTER-ILL. 



syringe, taking the very greatest care that none of it escapes 

 into the wound. If the operation be carefully performed, the 

 animal will have immunity conferred upon it. 



In many, for two or three days, there is dulness and dis- 

 inclination to feed, but this soon passes off, leaving no ill effects. 

 But if the virus escapes into the wound, or if the animal has 

 any bruises upon it, there we may expect to see the tumour of 

 quarter-ill appearing, and death resulting. 



Others again, instead of using the virus direct, inoculate a 

 guinea-pig subcutaneously, and cause the formation of a tumour 

 containing germs, which are thus modified in their power, and 

 after mixing with water, triturating, and passing through muslin, 

 use it. Others again have used the desiccated virus prepared 

 by drying in air portions of the diseased tissues. We, however, 

 are of opinion that Cornevin, Arloing, and Thomas' method of 

 using the virulent tissue mixed with water and filtered as above 

 stated, is the best. 



Many other methods of preventing this disease have been in 

 use from ancient times, and seemingly with success ; setoning, 

 for instance, when performed on young animals not affected 

 with the disease, but having been in contact with affected 

 animals, almost invariably is said to protect the animal for the 

 time being at least. We think that the setoning itself does not 

 protect, but that the dietetic and hygienic alterations which 

 accompany it materially tend to stop its progress, and the credit 

 is thus given to the wrong agent. 



Again, the insertion of garlic beneath the skin in different 

 regions, and rowelling, have each its advocates, but their aim is 

 directed to the one main feature, and that is the increasing of 

 the coagulability of the blood, but this is erroneous, as the blood 

 of animals dead of quarter-ill is found to be quite coagulable, 

 and so with this object in view such operations are useless. 



We can quite understand the value of such operations in 

 anthrax (splenic fever), which is caused by a different germ, 

 and where the blood is extremely fluid, and loses all power of 

 coagulability. 



WEST COAST FISHERIES. 



By W. Anderson Smith, Ledaig. 



[Premium — Five Sovereigns.] 



During the past year we have been largely occupied with a 

 continuation of our investigations into the fisheries of the West 

 of Scotland, but we have given more attention to particular 

 districts, supplementary of our last year's expedition under the 

 auspices of the Society, and consequently covered less ground. 



