VETERINARY SCIENCE AND PRACTICE. 821 



it would appear more probable to consider that the immediate factors concerned in 

 flavor production are likely to belong to certain chemical compounds of an unstable 

 character that are liable to undergo chemical transformations with an increase in 

 temperature; and that the real substances capable of producing these desirable flavors 

 are easily affected decomposition products. 



"As to the nature of the exciting agents capable of inaugurating these complex 

 chemical transformations, little or nothing definite is known. It is not improbable 

 that they may he bacteria; neither is it impossible that soluble enzyms may also 

 function in their capacity as fermentative agents, setting up the initial changes which 

 ultimately result in the production of the proper and essential flavor-producing 

 compounds." 



VETERINARY SCIENCE AND PRACTICE. 



Recent developments in medicine, Jess (Berlin. Tierarztl. Wchnschr., 1904, No. 

 39, pp. 649-654, figs. 2). — The value of radium in veterinary practice is discussed, and 

 notes are given on the influence of X-rays and other forms of light rays upon patho- 

 genic bacteria. According to certain investigations on the action of radium, it 

 appears that this substance has the power of checking the development of pathogenic- 

 bacteria or of destroying them entirely. 



Notes are also given on the recent investigations with regard to local anesthesia of 

 the spinal column, and also on adrenalin and other related compounds, as well as on 

 the recent discoveries relating to ultra-microscopic investigations by means of light 

 rays perpendicular to the line of vision. 



Text-book of general pathology for veterinarians and students, T. Kitt 

 (Lelirbuch der Allgemeinen Pathologii fur Tierdrzte und Studierende. Stuttgart: Ferdi- 

 nand Enke, 1904, pp. VIII ■ 436, pis. ./', figs. 119). — The need was felt for a brief and 

 comprehensive text-book on the subject of general pathology for veterinarians. The 

 author, therefore, prepared the present volume to supply this demand in Germany. 

 The material is presented in as concise a form as is consistent with clearness and the 

 numerous illustrations assist in an understanding of the text. 



Certain problems of immunity, A. Wolff {Berlin. Klin. Wchnschr., 41 (1904), 

 No. 4-. pp. 1105-1110). — A critical discussion is presented of endotoxins and toxins, 

 the relation of endotoxins to the production of immunity, and other questions 

 related to the subject of immunity. 



Morphological changes in red blood corpuscles produced by a specific 

 hemolytic blood serum rendered inactive, R. Rossle (Munchen. Med. Wchnschr., 

 51 (1904), No. 4~. pp. 1865-1869). — Serum was taken from a rabbit which had been 

 treated with intraperitoneal injections of beef blood. The serum was rendered 

 inactive by heating to a temperature of 53° C, after which it was mixed with washed 

 blood corpuscles from cattle in the proportion of 2J to 8 and allowed to digest under 

 these conditions for a period of 2 hours. 



Under the influence of high temperatures, considerable differences appear between 

 treated and nontreated red blood corpuscles. The author found that blood corpus- 

 cles which had been treated in this manner were more resistant to injurious influences 

 than untreated blood corpuscles. 



The toxicity of red blood corpuscles in different species of animals for 

 rabbits, F. Battelli | Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol. [Paris], 50 1 1004 ), No. 22, pp. 1041- 

 1043). — During the author's experiment- on this subject it was found that the con- 

 tents of the red blood corpuscles of dogs, cats, and cattle when injected into the 

 veins of rabbits are not toxic for these animals and the serum of the rabbit does not 

 exercise a hemolytic effect on the red blood corpuscles. The contents of the red 

 blood corpuscles of pigs, sheep, and rats, however, is toxic for rabbits, and they are 

 destroyed by the rabbit serum. The red blood corpuscles of pigs possess especially 

 high toxic power toward rabbits. 



