EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 



243 



contaiiKMl an organism resembling B. hotulinus morphologically and 

 culturally, and the toxin from the culture isolated from one of these 

 samples of silage resulted in the death of the experimental animals used. 

 The toxin producing power of the other cultures has not definitely been 

 determined. The sample of hay also contained organisms of this type, 

 while those isolated from the dry feed were doubtful. 



"The fact that so many samples of questionable silage were sent in for 

 analysis seems to suggest that forage poisoning from this source is more 

 common than has been heretofore supposed. The findings at this experi- 

 ment station in so far as they go, correspond very closely to those obtained 

 in the Kentucky and Illinois Experiment Stations. Indications are 

 that forage poisoning is fairly common in this state. Because of this fact 

 its more thorough study at this Experiment Station should not be dis- 

 regarded, now that the 'ice is broken' by the other Stations named 

 and work in a small way has been done here. This is a type of research 

 requiring a very considerable amount of time, which has not been available 

 this past year. 



"Cultures of B. hotulinus are continually being sent out to various 

 laboi'atories and experiment stations for use in research on the various 

 problems mentioned in this report. 



"It is suggested that Michigan be second only to California in sup- 

 porting an organization resembling her 'Botulism Research of the State 

 Council of Defense.' " 



REPORT OF VINEGAR INVESTIGATIONS. 



"After the resignation of Mr. C. W. Brown December 1917, the vinegar 

 studies were turned over to me but as instructional duties occupied prac- 

 tically all of my time, during the winter and spring terms, these studies 

 were not continued until summer (1918). At this time, analyses were 

 made of 28 barrels of cider which had been made by the Horticulture 

 Department in the fall of 1917 and placed in cold storage. Eleven of 

 these which had been removed later to the Bacteriological Department 

 barn, were analyzed by Mr. Brown, October 19, 1917, with the following 

 results : 



"Sugar was present in all samples. Barrels 1, 2 and 3 were marked 

 with a negative sign, which means that there was so low a percentage of al- 

 cohol and sugar left that market standard vinegar (4 per cent acetic acid), 

 could not be made. Barrels 4, 5, 6, 10 and 11 were marked with a question 

 mark signifying that although there is actually enough alcohol present to 

 make market standard vinegar, the margin is so low as to make the ulti- 

 mate results doubtful. 



