-VETERINARY MEDICINE. 183 



In the small nodules present in the spleen anthrax bacilli were detected, and 

 the findhi^s were verified by plating and animal tests. Precipitation tests 

 were then made with the regular extract prepared according to the Ascoli 

 procedure and with a chloroform sodium chlorid extract. The precipitating 

 sera used were those of Ascoli, and Schiitz and Pfeiler. With extracts made 

 with the pulp of the spleen no reaction was obtained, but with those made 

 from the nodules present in tlie spleen, a positive reaction resulted. 



Investig'ations in regard to thermoprecipitation for detecting hog erysipe- 

 las, K. Gauss {Untcrsuchungen ubcr die Thermo prdzipitat ion zum Nachweis 

 ties Schweinrotlaufs. Inaug. Diss., TicrdrzU. Hochsch. Stuttgart, 1912; ahs. in 

 Ccntpl. Bakt. [etc.}, 1. AM., Ref., 56 (1913), No. 22, p. 679).— The precipitation 

 method is deemed satisfactory for detecting erysipelas in hogs. The specific re- 

 action occurs instantaneously, or at least in from 2 to 3 minutes, when extracts 

 of the kidney or heart are used. It takes a somewhat longer time with ex- 

 tracts of the spleen, liver, muscle, skin, and lung. The method of preparing 

 these extracts has very little effect upon the reaction nor does it make very 

 much difference whether fresh or putrefied material is used. When the speci- 

 mens, organs, etc., have been conserved in alcohol or formaldehyde, the re- 

 action is not affected, but glycerol affects the I'eaction somewhat, and a solution 

 of Septoform or corrosive sublimate can not be used for preserving the diseased 

 organs. Drying and heating the material to 130° C. have no efi^ect upon the 

 reaction. 



In conducting the test it is always necessary to have a fresh antiserimi. 



Have reliable observations been made in regard to the spread of hog 

 epizootics througli protectively vaccinating against erysipelas? Jakob et al. 

 {Abs. in Berlin. Ticrdrztl. Wchnschr., 29 {1913), No. 36, p. 653).— liog cholera 

 occurred from 10 to 12 days after vaccinating against erysipelas in 3 estab- 

 lishments where 'the animals were treated by the same veterinarians. In the 

 first establishment, which contained 22 hogs, 20 were vaccinated end the other 

 2 were segregated but not vaccinated. All of the vaccinated animals died 10 

 days following the vaccination. On necropsy it was found that some of the 

 hogs were affected with a septic form of plague, i. e., hog cholera, and the others 

 with acute swine plague; and in another group chronic hog cholera was noted. 

 The two segregated animals not vaccinated were then slaughtered and found 

 to be affected with chronic hog cholera. 



In the second establishment, containing 30 hogs, the animals also died from 

 10 to 12 days after vaccination. Here also the diseases mentioned above were 

 noted on necropsy. The hogs of the third establishment behaved in a similar 

 manner. 



The above cases were treated with Gans's serum and cultures for vaccina- 

 tion purposes. Other experiences of the same kind are also reported by Ziegart, 

 Fritsch, Kussman, and Ott. 



Testing the vaccinating substances against swine plague, and some inves- 

 tigations with bacteria killed by heat. F. DtJERKOP (Priifung dcr Impfstoffe 

 gegen Schiveineseuche nehst Vntersuchungen ilber die Immunisierung mit 

 thermisch abgetotetcn Bakterien. Inaug. Diss., Tierdrztl. Hochsch. Hannover, 

 1912; abs. in Berlin. Tierdrztl. Wchnschr., 29 {1913), No. 86, pp. 6U, 645).— 

 The vaccinating substances examined included (1) sera, (2) bacterial extracts, 

 and (3) vaccines or curative lymphs. Among the sera the polyvalent variety 

 seemed to give the best results. Klett and Braun's sera was especially satis- 

 factory. The bacterial extracts (Gans, Schreiber, Rheinisch Serum Company. 

 Piorkowski, Suptol-Burow, and Kraft's vaccine), while prepared by different 

 methods and various strains of organisms, have some characteristics in common. 



