RURAL ENGINEERING. 89 



common ohicken pox. also known as epitheliomn contfisiosum, has Ions Ikhmi 

 known in veterinary st-ienco and api)ears to be distribnted tlironyiiont tiie 

 civilized world where fowls are kej)!. The sympt(>nis of this disease consist' 

 essentially in tnbercnlous exanthema of the skin and .sijecific alterations of 

 the visible mucons membranes. Some fever also accompanies the disease and 

 it is hiiihly conta.^ions. The palholosical histology of chicken pox is described 

 in some dclnil. It appears thai in many cases the proces^^es observed in the 

 throat are of a dipl^heritic natnre and the micro-orj^anisms concerned are 

 iierhaps of a saprophytic type which, nnder certain conditions, penetrate into 

 the livins; tissne. The micro-organ isms found in chicken pox closely resemble 

 those observed in other kinds of pox which affect mammals, and these niicro- 

 or!j;anisms are distributed in a very similar manner throuKhtmt the body. All 

 forms of pox. therefore, seem to be somewhat closely "related. Dehnite state- 

 ments concerning the relationship, however, can not be made with any safety. 

 A bibliography of this subject is appended to the article. 



Cachexia due to Syngamus trachealis in pigeons, H. P. Rossi ( Clin. Vet. 

 [Milan I, 2D {1901!) . Xo. '/. pp. 73-tS2). — An extensive infestation of gapeworms 

 was noted by the autlior in a colony of pigeons. The gapeworms were occa- 

 sionally found in the esophagus of young pigeons and obviously young birds 

 became infested through the food given them by the parent birds. Many of the 

 young pigeons died as a result of esophageal infestation. The parasites were 

 frequently observed in the trachea and occasionally in the bronchi of adult 

 [)igeons. in which situation they caused a cachectic state and occasionally death 

 by asphyxiation. 



RURAL ENGINEERING. 



Interstate royal commission on the Hiver Murray, representing the 

 States of New Soutli Wales, Victoria, and South Australia (Rpt. Conirs. 

 (tSlplney). 19H2, pp. -iJy. dynis. 15, //;«/>« 12). — In 1901 there was appointed a 

 royal commission representing the three States of New South Wales. Victoria, 

 and South Australia, whose duty it was to recommend a plan for controlling 

 and utilizing the river Murray, which forms the boundary between New South 

 Wales and Victoria and flows through the territory of South Australia. This 

 connnission favors the abrogation of the doctrine of riparian rights and the sub- 

 ordination of navigation to irrigation, but recommends that navigation be main- 

 tained by means of locks. It reconuiiends the delivery of a fixed quantity of 

 water from the main stream to each of the three States and a pro rata reduction 

 in case of shortage, iind that the torrential tributaries be left to the control of 

 the States in which they are situated. It is recommended further that the carry- 

 ing out of this agreement be placed in the hands of a special commission to be 

 created by agreement between the three States, the commission holding that this 

 v>-ork could not be properly done by the federal olficials. 



Tiie report gives nuich interesting information as to present development and 

 ihe schemes which have been adopted for su|)plying the capital necessary for 

 the construction of irrigation works. In Victoria the government has built Ihe 

 main canals, and the distributing ditches have been built by local organizations 

 with funds loaned by the government. The report states that in no case have 

 these local organizations lived up to their agreement with the State. In Vic- 

 toria £1,000.000 out of a total of £1,300,000 of obligations of these associations 

 have been canceled by the State. In New South W'ales the works have been 

 built by the government without any provision for the return of the money 

 invested. 



