692 EXPEEIMENT STATION KECORD. 



l)athogenic organisms. The experiments indicate that the influence of salts in increas- 

 ing the germicidal action of animal serum has been much overestimated. It is 

 l)eUeved that the germicidal action of serum does not rest upon an osmotic basis and 

 can not be explained in a quantitative manner. The osmotic pressure of the serum 

 is too small to account for the destruction of l^acteria by its action, and when the 

 osmotic pressure of such serum is artificially increased the germicidal action is not 

 influenced propi irtionately. 



The action of the essence of turpentine on virus, V. Galtier {Jour. Med. 

 Vi'f. et Zooterh., o. m:, 5 {1901), pp. 193-202). — The author conducted a series of 

 experiments with this substance upon the virus of glanders, tuberculosis, and 

 anthrax. Glanders virus taken from lesions of this disease was sterilized by contact 

 with pure essence of turpentine for a period of 30 hours. The glanders bacillus in 

 culture tubes was sterilized in 49 minutes when turpentine was used in the propor- 

 tion of 1 cc. to 3 cc. of the culture. The author concludes that essence of turpentine 

 can advantageously be used in treating objects whicli have become infected with the 

 glanders bacillus. «• 



The tubercle bacillus emulsified in water, was sterilized in 18 hours by the addition 

 of Ij cc. to 2 cc. of the emulsion. Fresh tubercle bacillus taken from tuberculous 

 lesions in guinea pigs and emulsified in turpentine, was quite rapidly attenuated. 



Spore-bearing anthrax cultures, to which turpentine was added at the rate of 6 cc. 

 to 30 cc. of the culture, were considerably attenuated, but not completely sterilized at 

 the end of 6 hours and 30 minutes. Emulsions of fresh anthrax virus treated with 

 turpentine retained their virulence for a considerable time. Experiments showed 

 that when fresh virus or spore-bearing culture Avas mixed with turpentine before 

 inoculation into experimental animals, the turpentine seemed to have the effect of 

 increasing the resistance of the animal to infection. 



A report on the more important Italian publications in general pathology 

 and pathological anatomy during the year 1900, 0. Bakbacci {Cetitbl. Allg. 

 Path. u. Path. Anat., 12 {1901), No. 8-9, pp. 321-393).— ItAlinw literature on pathol- 

 ogy of man and animals for the year 1900 is classified and briefly abstractetl. 



Serum diagnosis in tuberculosis, E. RoMBER(i {Deut. Med. Wehnschr.,27 {1901), 

 No. 18, pp. 273-277). — Experiments were made according to the method proposed 

 by Arloing and Courmant for diagnosing tuberculosis, from the presence of a high 

 agglutinizing power in the serum of suspected animals. The literature of the sub- 

 ject is discussed by the author in a critical manner, and the conclusion is reached 

 that while the methoil is fairly reliable, there are many serious obstacles in the way 

 of its general application in the manner which was first proposed. The diifioulty of 

 obtaining a sufficient amount of cultures is considered very great. In experiments 

 for the ijurjiose of obviating these difficulties the author found that suitable material 

 could be obtained in large quantities and preserved for considerable time bj' killing 

 tuliercle bacilli, jjulverizing them and enmlsifying them in alkaline water. The best 

 results were obtained when an emulsion was made by maintaining dried pulverized 

 tubercle bacilli at a temperature of 37° C. in a ^ per cent solution of soda lye in the 

 proportion of 1 liter to 10 gm. of the bacilli. In experiments with this material 

 it was found that the serum of tuberculous animals had the same curative action 

 upon the emulsified tubercle bacilli as upon the living bacilli. It was also found 

 that human blood serum Avould agglutinate the emulsion. 



The elimination of tuberculosis from the dairy herd at St. Helena, C. J. 

 Pound {Queensland Agr. Jour., 8 {1901), No. 4, pp. 303-305, pis. 2). — When first 

 tested it was found that in the dairy herd at St. Helena 9 out of the 68 animals 

 reacted. Four of the tuberculous cows were later used for breeding purposes and 

 their calves were fed on tuberculous milk after it had been sterilized. When 4 weeks 

 old the calves were tested with tuberculin without a reaction in any case. During 

 16 months after the first test the cows were subjected to the tuberculin test on four 



