VETERIISrARY MEDICINE. 685 



Endemic Mediterranean fever (Malta fever) in southwest Texas, T. L. 

 Fekenbaugh {Jour. Amer. Med. Assoc, 57 {1911), No. 9, tip. 130, 731). — It is 

 stated that during recent years there have been a few cases of continued fever 

 of long duration, frequent relapses, and a low mortality, in the Pecos River 

 country of Texas. While stationed at Del Rio with the United States Army 

 5 cases of this affection came to the author's attention. Agglutination tests made 

 with Micrococcus melitensis were positive, while tests with Bacillus typhosus 

 were negative. All 5 of the patients had worked in goat camps and 4 had 

 drank goat's milk. 



The author considers it possible that the goats of the Pecos River country, 

 and doubtless along other sections of the border, are infected with the M. 

 melitensis. The drinking of goat's milk in the Pecos River country is not 

 common, except among Mexicans and those located at isolated goat camps, but 

 the author was informed that along some sections of the border as much goat's 

 milk is drunk as cow's milk, this being especially true for the Mexican popu- 

 lation. 



Studies in regard to the etiology of rabies, J. Koch {Ztschr. Hyg. u. InfeJc- 

 tionskrank., 66 {1910), No. 3, pp. U3-Ji53, pi. i).— The author has continued 

 the work previously noted (E. S. R., 24, p. 83), with the aid of Krogh's new 

 staining method. 



With this he was able to verify his former conclusions, that the extra and 

 intracellular cocci-like bodies observed in the gray substances of the brain and 

 cord in rabies were not artifacts or products of degeneration, but definite forms 

 which may have a relation to parasites. In some of the experimental quiet 

 cases Negri bodies could not be observed. From this he concludes that some 

 difference must exist between the disease produced artificially and that con- 

 veyed by the bite of the dog. He points out the various areas in which these 

 formations are most likely to be found and the method for detecting them. 

 He holds that the inner cocci-like formations of the ganglion cells and gray 

 substance are identical with the inner formations of the Negri bodies, which 

 are considered spores by Negri. 



A new harmless, easy, and simple method for conducting the tuberculin 

 reaction, P. Barabaschi {Gaz. Osped. e Clin. IMilan], 31 {1910), No. 94, pp. 

 987-989; abs. in Ztschr. Immunitatsf. u. Expt. Ther., II, Ref., 3 {1910), No. 12, 

 p. 1053). — The method consists of strongly rubbing the area with absolute alco- 

 hol to produce a hyperemia and redness of the skin. In the center of this zone 

 a thin layer of crude tuberculin is applied and then allowed to dry. The re- 

 action when positive manifests itself by forming red, slightly raised blisters, 

 which appear in from 24 to 72 hours. 



The antiformin method for examining sputum, Sachs-Mtjke {Deut. Med. 

 WcJmschr., 36 {1910), No. 7, pp. 320, 321; abs. in Hyg. Rundschau, 20 {1910), 

 No. 21, p. 1171). — This is a comparative test between the antiformin and hydro- 

 gen peroxid methods for detecting tubercle bacilli. The results show that the 

 first -named failed to detect the bacilli in two instances, while the latter showed 

 their presence. The author believes that antiformin destroys the tubercle 

 bacilli, and recommends the adoption of the hydrogen peroxid method. 



Experimental investigations in regard to the virulence of old (inactive) 

 tuberculous foci in bovines, B. Uhlenbrock {Experimentelle TJntersuchungen 

 iiher die Virulenz alter {vnaJctiver) tuberkuloser Herde beim Rmd. Inaug. 

 Diss., Univ. Bern, 1910, pp. 31; abs. in Internat. Centbl. Gesanv. Tuberkulose 

 Forsch., 5 {1911), No. 5, p. 234). — Ii old calcified foci tubercle bacilli could be 

 noted. The bacilli, however, had undergone a certain amount of degeneration 

 and showed a diminished virulence. 



