378 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECOKD. 



results obtained with sero-diagnoses of glanders, combating tuberculosis, ag- 

 gressin tests, preparation of vaccine against hemoglobinuria in bovines, toxicity 

 of castor-oil seeds, septicemia pluriformis ovium, combating hemoglobinuria 

 in bovines, beschillseuche, feeding tests (with eosin, beans, and sea fish), 

 anaphylaxis investigations, paratyphoid investigations, chemotherapeutic tests 

 with hemoglobinuria of bovines, and examination of the samples sent to the 

 station. 



Animal diseases in Formosa, J. D. Reabdon (Philippine Agr. Rev. [English 

 Ed.], 5 {1912), No. 3, pp. 1U-U6).— It is stated that while the Prefecture of 

 Ako, which is about 42 square miles in area, has always been more or less 

 infested with rinderpest, on July 10, 1911, the disease broke out in a very 

 virulent form, 2,100 cases having been diagnosed since that date. 



Investigations in regard to the receptivity of fowls for anthrax, and the 

 reason for their resistance against this disease, W. Mollhoff ( Untersuchungen 

 iiber die Empfdnglichkeit des Geflugels fiir Milzbrand und iiber die Griinde der 

 Resistens des Huhnes gegen diese Krankheit. Inaug. Diss., Univ. Bern, 1910, pp. 

 J,7; abs. in Centbl. Bakt. [etc.], 1. Abt., Ref., ^9 {1911), No. 6, p. 162).— The 

 resistance of the fowl against anthrax is considered due to the presence of 

 bactericidal substances in the lymph or other body fluids of this animal. When 

 anthrax bacilli are placed into the subcuticular tissue they die in a very short 

 time, and in this way prevent a local development of the anthrax organism and 

 protect against a generalized infection. The origin of the bactericidal sub- 

 stances in the lymph could not be determined. Phagocytosis seems to have no 

 significance for this disease in fowls. The resistance of the fowl to the disease 

 is not due to its high body temperature. 



The thermoprecipitation method for diagnosing anthrax, A. Casalotti 

 (Berlin. Tierdrztl. Wchnschr., 21 (1911), No. 49, pp. 889, 890).— The thermo- 

 precipitation test is considered a good one for diagnosing anthrax. 



The Ascoli precipitin reaction for diagnosing anthrax, L. Granucci (Ztschr. 

 Infektionskrank. u. Ilyg. Haustiere, 10 (1911), No. 6, pp. h^h-'nO; abs. in Ztschr. 

 Jmmunitdtsf. u. Expt. Ther., II, Ref., 5 (1912), No. 1, pp. 867, 868).— The spe- 

 cific precipitinogen was found to develop first at the site (or path) where the 

 virus was injected, and the amount increases as the disease progresses. It is 

 also dependent on the number of virulent organisms present, and the affinity 

 which the organisms have for the virus. If the bacilli are present only sparingly 

 the precipitinogen must be looked for at the area of the body which was first 

 attacked by the organisms. The precipitinogen will withstand a temperature 

 of 100° C. for several minutes. It is not destroyed by putrefaction nor by 

 allowing it to dry for a year, and not in an organ which has been preserved in 

 alcohol for 11 years or longer. Formalin changes or destroys the precipitinogen. 



The specificity of Ascoli's precipitin reaction when utilizing various 

 organs for the diagnosis, G. Roncaglio (Ztschr. Infektionskrank. u. Hyg. 

 Haustiere, 9 (1911), No. 6, pp. Ji24-432; Clin. Vet. [Milan], Rass. Pol. Sanit. e 

 Ig., 34 (1911), No. 10, pp. 450-458; abs. in Ztschr. Immunitdtsf. u. Expt. Ther., 

 II, Ref., 4 (1911), No. 8, pp. 405, 4O6).— The Ascoli reaction (E. S. R., 26, p. 375) 

 was found positive only when anthrax was present. It made very little dif- 

 ference whether the organs used were in a state of decomposition or fresh. 

 The most characteristic reaction was obtained with extracts from the spleen, 

 but the other organs, etc., also gave good results. They behaved as regards 

 specificity in the following order: The gelatinous mass (edema) in the skin 

 (which surrounds the injection areas of guinea pigs treated with anthrax 

 bacilli), the heart, lungs, blood, muscle, liver, kidneys, and brain substance. 



Recent investigations on the etiology of foot-and-mouth disease, J. Siegel 

 (,Vet. Jour., 68 (1912), Nos. 440, pp. 77-82; 441, pp. 155-159) .—This is a trans- 



