678 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



the various rations was: 715 gm. cm him It sprouts, 718 gm. on palm-nut cake, 

 708 gm. on coconut cake, 672 gm. on fennel; HIS gm. with feeds not containing 

 a stimulating substance, and 73G gm. with normal hay and with palm-nut cake. 

 Corresponding results with the other goat were, on malt spi'outs 002 gm., jialm- 

 uut cake 051 gm., coconut cake 598 gm., fennel 002 gm., without stinnilating 

 feed 502 gm., and with normal hay and coconut cake 554 gm. Digestion co- 

 efficients, analyses of feeding stuffs, and other data are given. 



The so-called iron milk, C. Mai {Ztsclir. ('ntrrftuch. Xahr. u. Genusfimtl., 

 t!) {1910), A'o. 1, pp. 21-23). — An experiment is reported in which 2 cows re- 

 ceived a ration composed in part of a proprietary feed which contained a large 

 percentage of iron. The claim that this feed would raise the percentage of 

 iron in the milk was not sustained by the experiment. 



Experimental leucocytosis in the cow's udder, C. Hoffmann ( WificonHin 

 ata. Research BuL 6. pp. 207-21 S. fi<js. 2). — This reports a study of the effect 

 of injections into the udder of various solutions injected at blood heat upon 

 the leucocyte content of cow's milk. The usual method was to inject 2 quarters 

 of the udder with from 150 to 300 cc. of the solutions, introducing them into 

 the udder by means of a milking tube connected with a large separatory funnel, 

 so graduated that the amounts introduced into the udder could be accurately 

 determined. No pressure was applied, injection dei)ending entirely upon the 

 action of gravity. The leucocyte determinations were made according to the 

 modified Doane-Buckley method. 



Injections of the sterile solutions were made about 6 hours after the morning 

 milking had been completed, or about 11 a. m., and the cow was again milked 

 at 4 p. m. Even in so short a time marked changes invariably occurred in the 

 texture and appearance of the udder. Inflammation characterized by swelling 

 and fever could usually be detected. The number of leucocytes increased 

 greatly in those quarters into which the sterile, distilled water was introduced. 

 The maximum number of leucocytes was found in the second and third milking. 

 IS to 30 hours after the injection. The number of leucocytes, however, then 

 rapidly decreased until by the third day the milk could again be considered 

 normal. Injections of a 2 per cent solution of boric acid produced leucocytosis, 

 but not nearly so marked as with the sterile, distilled water, while with a 0.6 

 per cent solution of sodium chlorid the leucocyte content remained about the 

 same as with the water. 



After an injection of 0.5 cc. of a broth culture of Bacillus procUgiosus in 100 

 cc. of sterile water, or 1 cc. of the culture in 200 cc. of water, the milk secre- 

 tion was practically stopped. There was a marked inflammation of the entire 

 udder and a general constitutional Illness. Kecovery was rapid, and by the 

 third milking it was possible to obtain a few streams of a watery, yellowish 

 clotted liquid from the injected quarters, but the milk was so abnormal that 

 no determinations of leucocytes could be made until the eighth milking. It 

 was considered doubtful whether the organism alone was the cause. 



A repetition of these experiments with another cow gave similar results. 

 An increased leucocyte content was often accompanied by a decrease in bacteria. 

 In the uninjected quarters the leucocyte content was unchanged and also the 

 bacterial content. The authors suggest that the decrease in number of bacteria 

 may have been due to the phagocytic action of the leucocytes. A microscoi)ical 

 examination of the sediment from the milk of the injected quarters showed 

 many leucocytes containing from 5 to 25 bacteria, while the sediment from the 

 uninjected quarters showed no such action. In the abnormal milk the presence 

 of flocculent material was also noted. Examinations of these clots, which were 

 of a doughy consistency and invariably rose to the surface of the liquid, re- 

 vealed them to be comprised almost entirely of large masses of flbriu strands. 



