688 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



It was found that the large fluke, Fasciola hepatica, and the small fluke, 

 Dicrocaelium lanccatum seu dendriticam, manifested a very different resistance 

 to the action of drugs. The experiments indicate that the ethereal extract of 

 male shield fern acts only on the large flukes and exclusively on those of the 

 liver, the flukes which have migrated to the peritoneal cavity not being affected. 

 Four doses of 5 gm. each appear to be required in order to assure the success of 

 the treatment. 



Protective vaccination against swine plague, Buss {Mitt. Ver. Bad. Tier- 

 iirzte, 10 (1910), No. 5, pp. 16, 77; alis. in CcntU. Bakt. [etc.'i, 1. AM., Ref., 

 49 {1911), No. 5, pp. 154, 155). — The author points out that the bivalent serum 

 of Klett-Braun is a good one, but that on account of its price its use is not 

 always possible. 



Researches in regard to " esponja," a disease which affects solipeds in 

 certain parts of Brazil, P. Feeret, A. Dupuy, and L. Merciee {Gompt. Rend. 

 Soc. Biol. [Paris'], 69 {1910), No. 38, pp. 654-656, pis. 2; ahs. in Ccnthl. Bald, 

 [etc.], 1 AM., Ref., 49 {1911), No. 5, p. 135). — Among horses in Brazil a disease 

 was noted which was characterized by the formation of nodules in the skin 

 which went over to pus formation. The nodules were found to contain a nema- 

 tode, which is described, and some yeast-like bodies. The authors were in 

 doubt as to which of the two was the causative agent. 



[Report of] veterinary department, L. Van Es {North Dakota Sta. Rpt. 



1909, pp. 91, 98). — The author states that studies of infectious anemia of 

 the horse conducted during the year show conclusively that an infected horse 

 may die of the disease without any reduction of the red blood corpuscles, that 

 certain cases may run along for considerable periods without an elevation of 

 the body temperature, that such horses, although they fail to present any 

 clinical evidence of the disease, still carry the infectious agent, and that when 

 small quantities of their blood are injected into normal horses the disease is 

 promptly reproduced. 



[Report of] veterinary department, L. Van Es {North Dakota Sta. Rpt. 



1910, pp. 55-51). — A brief summaiy is presented of investigations of swamp 

 fever conducted during the year ended February 28, 1911, the detailed results 

 of which were awaiting publication. 



A study showing bacteria and animal organisms determined in tlie fec&s 

 and intestinal mucosa of healthy chickens, G. E. Gage {Maryland Sta. Bui. 

 153, pp. 201-226). — Three observations were made upon the feces of each of 

 45 birds ranging in age from 1 day old up to 2 years. Observations were also 

 made upon the intestinal mucosa of 60 birds, including birds taken from' the 

 shell, newly hatched chicks, and fowl ranging in age up to 2 years. 



It was found that the intestinal flora of healthy domestic fowls vary to 

 some extent with the conditions of poultry environment and different stages of 

 life. 



" It may be stated that approximately 60 per cent of the organisms in the 

 domestic fowl do not stain by Gram's method, and that under ordinary condi- 

 tions of poultry environment approximately 40 per cent are gram-negative in 

 their staining reactions. The Bacillus coli type of organisms represent the 

 larger part of the gram-negative percentage. 



" The Intestinal mucosa of the healthy domestic fowl may harbor a large and 

 varied flora which is constant only to a certain extent. Few obligatory 

 anaerobes are present. 



" B. coli was the preponderating organism in the intestinal mucosa and the 

 feces, and undoubtedly it plays the same role physiologically that it does in the 

 alimentary canal of higher animals. Since it is so omnipresent it is undoubtedly 

 an obligate bacteria, and under some circumstances renders service by px'oducing 



