VETERINARY SCIENCE AND PRACTICE, 918 



Report of the chief inspector of stock and brands, C. J. Valentine (Min. 

 Agr. South Ait.-^fraUa Rpi. 190^', pp. 22-25). — Brief notes are given on the prevalence 

 of some of the more important diseases affecting sheep, cattle, horses, and hogs. 

 These diseases include foot rot, pleuro-pneumonia, tuberculosis, actinomycosis, etc. 



The toxic substances in normal sera, Carre and Valee ( Compt. Rend. Soc. 

 Biol. Paris, 34 {1902), Xo. 6, pp. 17 G, 177). — Experiments were conducted by the 

 authors for the purpose of determining the toxic principles contained in the sera of 

 cattle, sheep, goats, dogs, horses, and donkeys. The results obtained in these experi- 

 ments lead the authors to conclude that the bactericide, globuli(dde, and toxic sub- 

 stances of sera are identical, or, in other words, that the same toxic substance exercises 

 the action of destroying bacteria and the red blood corpuscles, and producing toxic 

 effects. 



The antiseptic value of Crede's colloidal silver preparation and its action 

 in infection, E. Cohn {Centhl. Bait. u. Par., 1. Aht., 32 (1902), Xos. 10, Ori(/.,pp. 

 732-752; 11, pp. 804-809). — A critical review of the literature of this subject is given 

 by the author. A large number of experiments were conducted for the purpose of 

 determining its antiseptic value, in small laboratory animals, such as rabbits and 

 guinea pigs. The silver preparation was administered either before or after infection 

 with Staphylococci, Streptococci, anthrax Imcilli, and cholera vibrios. During these 

 experiments it was found that the soluble silver preparation, even in very large doses, 

 had no effect either of a local or general nature upon the infectious processes. The 

 pathogenic organisms were not destroyed or even checked in their growth by the 

 silver preparation. In preliminary experiments it was found that the colloidal" silver 

 had no toxic effect upon healthy animals. It was also found that within 45 minutes 

 after the colloidal silver was introduced into the blood it could no longer be demon- 

 strated. It aj^pears to be precipitated immediately after its introduction into the 

 body, and the precipitate thus formed has no antibacterial action. 



The bactericide povrer of fluorid of silver as compared with silver nitrate, 

 carbolic acid, and corrosive sublimate, II. Kekez {Centhl. Bakt. u. Par., I. Aht., 

 32 {1902), No. 8-9, pp. 644-648). — A series of experiments were undertaken for the 

 purpose of comparing fluorid of silver as prepared by Professor Paterno, under the 

 name Tachiol. Bacteria upon which these different antiseptics were allowed to act 

 were tubercle bacillus, anthrax bacillus, typhoid bacillus, and anthrax spores. It 

 was found that fluorid of silver possessed about the same bactericide power as silver 

 nitrate. When used in a 1 per cent solution its antiseptic power was equal to a 5 per 

 cent solution of carbolic acid. All of these substances, however, were found to pos- 

 sess a lower bactericide power than corrosive sublimate. 



The decomposition of iodid of potash in the organism by means of nitrites, 

 A. Stekanow {Arch. Exper. Path. u. Pharmakol. , 47 {1902), No. 5-6, pp. 4II-4I6). — 

 The author made extensive analyses of different organs of rabbits and dogs and 

 demonstrated the absence of nitrites in the gray brain substance, liver, stomach, 

 spleen, broMu substance of the kidneys, muscles, and blood. Nitrites were found in 

 the white brain substance, lung tissue, bronchial glands, small intestines, medullary 

 substance of the kidneys and lymphatic glands. The author believes from his obser- 

 vations that iodid of potash is for the most part decomposed in the presence and by 

 the agency of nitrites. 



The action of lecithin on the leucocytes, H. Stassano and F. Billon {Compt. 

 Bend. Soc. Biol. Pari.% 54 {1902), No. G, pp. 167-170).— K large number of intra- 

 venous inoculations of emulsion of lecithin in rabbits produced as a constant result 

 an increase in the number of leucocytes after each injection. When the lecithin 

 was administered by intraperitoneal injection similar results were obtained, the 

 leucocytes increasing in number to a considerable extent, especially around the 

 point of inoculation. In the exudation produced by the lecithin the polynuclear 

 leucocytes were surrounded and destroyed by the mononuclear cells. 



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