DOMESTIC RUAIINANTS AND THE HORSE 53 



(from a ruminant stomach) by means of a Barber or other micro- 

 pipette. Samples can be taken from the stomach of a goat or sheep 

 at any time by means of the above-mentioned stomach tube and 

 a stomach pump. The single protozoon could be put into a few 

 drops of normal salt solution and washed down a stomach tube 

 into an azoic goat. In a few cases out of many trials an infection 

 might result. 



There are a number of other problems in connection with this 

 particularly interesting group of protozoa. Do they assist in cellu- 

 lose digestion? Do they keep the rumen contents from putrefying 

 by devouring excessive growth of bacteria and moulds? Do they 

 synthesize proteins from amides, and then sacrifice their own 

 bodies to their host in the acid or true stomach ? This would make 

 a ruminant a carnivorous animal ! How is the infection spread 

 from animal to animal? Could a calf be raised to maturity without 

 becoming infected with infusoria? These are a few of the prob- 

 lems involved, some of which are being worked upon at Ames. 

 The stomach disinfection method developed by the authors will be 

 an aid to solving all of these problems. 



The flagellates of the ruminant stomach are discussed in Becker 

 and Talbott's paper (1927). in which can be found references to 

 other papers. Tn'cJionwuas ruuiinantium, CalUmastix frontalis, 

 EutricJiomastix runiinautiitm, and other flagellates are commonly 

 seen. TricJwmonas nuninaiitinin was cultivated by Becker and Tal- 

 bott (1927), but the others still await cultivation. 



A comparative study of Calimastix frontalis and Sclcnomastix 

 rwninantiiim, Woodcock and Lapage (1913), would be highly 

 desirable. 



Ejidanurba boz'is is quite often encountered. It has not yet been 

 cultivated. Becker and Frye (1927) have described its cysts which 

 are uninucleate. Kessel (1928) finds that the cysts of E. polecki 

 are of a similar type. Are E. hovis of ruminants and E. polecki of 

 the pig identical ? Here is a little problem in parasite specificity and 

 host specificity. 



Becker and Frye (1927) found in the feces of calves the tropho- 

 zoites of TricJwnionas ruuiinantium. There is a still smaller flagel- 

 late sometimes present which has not yet been identified. They 

 found also the cysts of Giardia bozis, Endania:ba bovis, Bux- 

 tonclla sulcata (the identity of these cysts has been ascertained), 

 and two species of Einicria which were later identified as Einicria 



