VETERINARY SCIENCE AND PRACTICE. 181 



poisonous, 2 foedin-; expcriiiieiits were undertakeii. A yearling steer was allowed to 

 eat freely of the hay fur 4 days without auy had results. Auother yearling was fed 

 about 3 lbs. of fEnniitlie fiitrmtnitosK, whi('h was picked out of the hay. The result 

 was the same as in the first experiment. 



It was thouglit well to try experiments in feeding fresh i)lants of C. vagans. The 

 stem and leaves of 8 plants, collected on May 5, when the plants were about a foot 

 high, were fed to a yearling steer without producing any symptoms of poisoning 

 beyond a slight twitching of the muscles of the nose. A small quantity of roots was 

 fed at the same time to 2 yearlings, with the same results. The plant was tested in 

 the same way July 26 to 81, when in bloom, the roots, stems, and flowers being fed 

 together. Again, August 12 to 15, plants were fed, when the seed was ripe, without 

 causing any had effects. On November 23, when the new roots had tleveloped suffi- 

 ciently to be tested, a quantity of the new roots was cut into small pieces and fed to 

 an 8-months-old heifer. The animal died after about 3 hours with violent symptoms. 

 On November 4, 3 roots, which had been cut into small pieces on the previous day, 

 were fed to a heifer without producing any poisonous effects. Two days later the 

 same animal was fed fresh roots and manifested serious symptoms of poisoning, 

 although recovery ultimately resulted. Two other experiments resulted in the death 

 of the animals in from 3 to 3j hours. 



Feeding experiments with 0. sarmerUosa, Angelica genuflexxi, A. hcnder-wni, Sium 

 cinitvrfolium, Hcraxienm lanatam, Conioselinum gmelini indicated that these i)lants were 

 not poisonous. 



Contagious diseases of animals in foreign countries ( U. S. Dept. Agr., Bureau 

 of Animal Industry Fpf. 1S99, pp. 479-493). — An account is given of the distribution, 

 virulence, and means of combating the more important contagious diseases in Great 

 Britain, France, Switzerland, German Empire, Hungary, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, 

 Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, and New Zealand. 



Report of the chief inspector of stock and registrar of brands for the year 



1899, P. R. Gordon {Queensland Dept. Agr. Rpt. 1899-1900, pp. 75-<?7) .—This 

 rejiort contains statistical notes on the diseases of sheep and cattle. Fewer cases of 

 contagious pleuro-pneumonia have been reported than during the previous year. 

 The injuries from tick infestation are also being reduced. Inoculation against Texas 

 fever has been largely practiced, and a great proportion of the cattle have Ijecome 

 immune to the disease. A number of experiments were tried in dipping cattle to 

 destroy the ticks. The following formula was used with fairly good success: Arsenic 

 10 lbs., soap 5 lbs., soda wash 28 lbs., Stockholm tar 7^ gal., water 400 gal. It is 

 suggested that certain birds, known as the magpie lark {Grallina picata) and the 

 wagtail {Sauloprocta motas ill aides), which continually hover around tick-infested 

 cattle and frequently perch on their backs, may be instrumental in destroying the 

 ticks. A brief statement is given of the number of marsupials and dingoes destroyed 

 and bounties paid ui)on them. 



Division of veterinary science, J. A. Gilruth {New Zealand Dept. Agr. lipt. 



1900, p}i. 145-^'27, pis. 7). — The author reports four serious outbreaks of anthrax in 

 different localities (pp. 147-154), and gives details of the symptoms and post-mortem 

 findings in these cases. It is believed that the introduction of the disease was due to 

 the importation of infected bones. The evidence for this belief consisted in the fact 

 tliat the outbreaks occurred on turnip jjaddocks, and that these jiaddocks had been 

 recently dre.ssed with manure containing a i)ro])ortion of l)ones. In 3 out of the 4 

 outbreaks the disease was further disseminated by feeding dead carcasses to pigs with 

 disastrous results. The methods wliicli were adopted for preventing the spread of 

 the disease include burying in lime or ])urning of all anthrax carcasses. 



Detailed descriptions are given of 2 outbreaks of swine plague ( pp. 154-159) . After 

 experiments in sennn diagnosis, the author adopted the dilution of 1 part serum to 

 20 parts of a 24-h()ur broth culture. In this way a decided agglutination wa.s pro- 



