712 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



bacilli obtained from hogs a marked lengthening was observed. Long filamentous 

 forms were found in connection with the bovine bacillus. Among the bacilli in 

 contact with the paraffin there was a simultaneous occurrence of the'long forms and 

 the micrococcus forms of tubercle bacilli. 



In explaining the observed effect of paraffin it is suggested that the paraffin pro- 

 tects the surface of the egg from evaporation and thus preserves the degree of mois- 

 ture which is essential to the growth of the bacillus. 



Tuberculosis of the bones as related to circulatory and nutritive troubles, 

 N. Petroff (Ann. Inst. Pasteur, 18 [1904), No. 9, pp. o90-. r >9.i). — In order to test the 

 possible connection between tuberculosis of the bones and circulatory or nutritive 

 disturbances, the author carried out a series of experiments on rabbits. In some of 

 these animals the abdominal sympathetic nerve was divided and in others the sciatic 

 nerve and in still others the crural vein was ligated. After such treatment the ani- 

 mals were inoculated with virulent cultures of tubercle bacilli. 



Autopsies made on these animals showed that the disease was distributed in a 

 manner which demonstrated that the changes due to operative interferences had not 

 influenced the course of the disease. Attention is called, however, to the fact that 

 osteomyelitis, a disease most common in young animals in a growing condition, affects 

 mosl frequently the extremities of the longer bones. Tuberculosis also shows a pre- 

 dilection for such locations. 



Robert Koch and his critics, D. A. Hughes (Amer. Vet. Her., 27 {1904), Nos. 10, 

 pp. 919-943; 11, pp. 1016-1034)- — The position of Koch with reference to the contro- 

 versy concerning tuberculosis is outlined in considerable detail for the purpose of 

 showing the gradual changes in opinion which Koch has held during recent years. 

 The reports of commissioners appointed for the purpose of investigating the relations 

 between human and bovine tuberculosis are also discussed, and abstracts are pre- 

 sented of the views of various investigators in France, Great Britain, Germany, the 

 United States, and Canada. 



The conclusion is reached as the result of this study of the literature relating to 

 tuberculosis, that there is no unanimity among scientists at the present time in regard 

 to the manner and degree in which human tuberculosis may be transmitted to cattle 

 or the bovine form of the disease to man. Opinions also vary as to the identity of 

 the human bacillus and that of pearl disease. All investigators agree that bovine 

 tuberculosis is a source of danger to nearly all domesticated animals and most scien- 

 tists believe that the milk and meat of tuberculous animals are dangerous food for man. 



Simultaneous inoculation against rinderpest and its dangers, A. Theiler 

 ( Monatsh. Prakt. Tierh., 16 (1904), No. 4-5, pp. 195-204)- — The simultaneous inocula- 

 tion of cattle with serum or immune blood and the virus of rinderpest has been pro- 

 posed quite extensively by veterinarians in South Africa. Statistics are presented 

 showing the number of animals thus treated and the percentage of vaccinated 

 animals which have developed Texas fever as a result of vaccination. 



The author believes that simultaneous vaccination against rinderpest in a region 

 in which Texas fever and other blood diseases prevail is very dangerous if blood is 

 used as the virus for inoculation. The danger is especially great for animals which 

 are not immune to Texas fever. In practice it is impossible to exclude with certainty 

 the use of blood of animals which are immune to Texas fever. This method of 

 simultaneous vaccination was abandoned in parts of South Africa and as a result of 

 this movement rinderpest has been eradicated from such regions. 



Resistance against rinderpest and other infectious diseases conferred by 

 the subcutaneous injection of certain bile products and also by the injection 

 of substances prepared from animal testes and the seeds of plants, A. Lin- 

 gard ( Centhl. Bakt. u. Par., 1. Abt., Orig., 37 (1904), No. 2, pp. 246-248) .—During the 

 author's experiments about 1,550 cattle of various breeds were used. It has already 

 been shown that hill cattle, plain cattle, and hill buffalo exhibit different degrees of 



