282 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The conditions for formation of the capsule of the anthrax bacillus, T. 

 Stiennon iCompt. Rend. Hoc. Biol. \l'iirls\. tTZ {1901), No. 15, pp. 821-823).— 

 The capsule appears most regularly and in a most pronounced manner on anthrax 

 bacteria in infected animals. Bacilli with capsules are not surrounded with 

 phagocytes and cause death more rapidly than nonencapsuled bacilli. The viru- 

 lence of the bacilli with capsules was always greatest. 



Decisions of the imperial health oflBicials regarding the appearance of 

 anthrax in cattle in the Schmeie region, Gartner and C. Dammann (Arb. K. 

 Gsndhtsamt., 2.T (1907), Xo. 2, pp. JflG-JfoG). — For some time anthrax has oc- 

 curre^l among cattle along the regions of the river Schmeie, and upon investiga- 

 tion by tbe imperial health office it was found that in one part of the valley 

 103 cases had occurred during the past 12 years among 1,600 cattle, while in 

 another section 138 cases had occurred among 46,000 cattle. The extent of 

 infestation varied greatlj' in different parts of the valley, according to tbe favor- 

 able or unfavorable conditions for the distribution of the anthrax bacillus. 



In tbe region in question there are a number of tanneries, and these insti- 

 tutions are directly connected with the spread of anthrax. The organisms 

 gain entrance to the flowing streams through tbe waste water and subsequently 

 infect cattle lower down the stream. In the opinion of the authors, it is impossible 

 to control tbis trouble by the rejec-tion of infected bides at the point of entrance 

 into tbe Empire or by ordinary methods of furnishing a water supply for stock 

 in the Infected area. These methods may lessen the extent of anthrax to some 

 extent, but can not prevent tbe appeai'ance of the disease. The only effective 

 means of controlling this trouble is found in the disinfection of all waste water 

 from tanneries. 



Mammitis in cows, H. Carre (Rev. Gen. Med. Yet., 9 {1901), No. 106, pp. 

 561-.')6-'i). — In cases of contagioiis mammitis observed by tbe author an organism 

 was isolated which is described as new under the name BacUlun maf<tifidis coii- 

 taglosfc. This organism appears not to be a rare one and is believed l)y the 

 author t) be of considerable importance in the etiology of mammitis. 



The station for the control of rinderpest at Chita, M. P. Slyesarevski 

 {Ardi. Vet. Nauk [St. Petersh.], 36 {1901), No. 2, pp. 10.^-13 2) .—This station 

 has been in operation since 1901, receiving both government and private funds. 

 Its main purpose is the study of rinderpest and in the different laboratories con- 

 nected with the institution and in the cattle corrals and stables experiments are 

 being carried on to determine the means by which the disease is transmitted 

 and the value of the various methods of immunization which have been proposed 

 for controlling it. 



Poisoning of cattle from Taxus baccata, Grimme {Deut. Tierdrztl, 

 Wchnschr., 15 {1901), No. 23, pp. 321, 322). — In several cases poisonous symp- 

 toms were produced in cattle as a result of eating Taxus haccata. A post- 

 mortem examination was made of one animal during which it was found that the 

 liver and spleen were considerably swollen and that the exterior of the rumen 

 was grayish red. Reddened spots were also observed in the small intestines. 



On the chromatin masses of Piroplasma bigeminum, the parasite of Texas 

 cattle fever, H. B. Fantham (Quart. Jour. Microx. Sci. [Londoji], ii. scr.. 51 

 (1901), No. 202. pp. 291-32Jf, pi. 1. figs. 7/.'/).— In all specimens of Piroplasma 

 bigeminum stained and examined by the author there was one or more chromatin 

 masses. In the ovoid and pyriform parasites there is usually a large chromatin 

 mass and also a smaller, denser one as well as a mesh-like structure of chro- 

 matin. A number of variations occur in the relative positions and relative 

 sizes of these different chromatin bodies. 



On the cultivation of a bovine piroplasma, M. Miya.jima (Philippine Jour. 

 Set., 2 (1901), No. 2, pp. 83-91, pis. 2). — For some time the author has noticed 



