VETERINARY MEDICINE. 283 



Organ tuberculosis in pigs caused by the avian type of tubercle bacillus, 

 M. Christiansen (Ztschr. InfcJctionslcrank. u. Hyg. Ilaustierc, 16 {1915), No. 4, 

 pp. 26-'f-274, figs. 2).— The new investigations have confirmed those reported 

 above, inasmuch as avian types of tubercle bacilli were noted in the organs 

 liaving a typical appearance. Giant cells were noted in the tuberculous proc- 

 esses. According to this, the finding of giant cells does not indicate that the 

 tuberculosis is not caused by the avian type of bacillus. They were found in 

 all mesenteric tuberculous processes, and in every case they were of the avian 

 type. 



The iodin content of tuberculous tissues, P. A. Lewis and R. B. Kbauss 

 (Jour. Biol Chein., 18 {1914), ^'O. 2. pp. 313-317).—'' Tuberculous tissue derived 

 from animals to which no iodin preparation has been knowingly administered 

 may contain amounts of iodin very appreciably higher than normal control 

 tissue of the same animal. ,While it is quite probable that tubei'culous tissue 

 in animals treated with iodin products may store up iodin, this has been by no 

 means clearly shown in any experiments so far reported. The highest figures 

 for the tuberculous tissue of untreated animals in our experience may equal 

 the highest figures of those reported by others as evidence for the localization 

 in the tissue of iodin intentionally administered." 



A note on the use of purified antigen of Besredka in the serum diagnosis 

 of tuberculosis, J. Bronfenbrenneb and J. Rockman {Biochem. Bui., 2 {1914), 

 No. 11-12, pp. 375, 376). — In some previous work it was found that when 

 Besredka tuberculin was used as antigen seemingly specific results were obtained 

 with the sera of tuberculous subjects by the complement fixation test. The fact 

 that the antigen contains lipins (derived from the culture medium) allowed the 

 possibility, however, that certain nontuberculous sera having lipotropic proper- 

 ties might fix complement with this antigen. In a large series of experiments 

 in which the Besredka tuberculin was deprived of its lipins by means of ex- 

 traction with ether in a separately funnel it was proved that the lipins have no 

 antigenic value in the comi)lement fixation test. The relations of the constitu- 

 ents, such as proteins, etc., of the tuberculin to the antigenic properties are 

 being studied in this connection. 



On the value of a new skin test for diagnosis of tuberculosis, J. Bkonfen- 

 BRENNER {AI)s. in ScicHce, n. ser., 39 {1914), No. 1013, pp. 803, 80^).— "Sub- 

 cutaneous injection of 0.55 cc. of a mixture of fresh blood of patients suffering 

 from tuberculosis (1 cc.) with tuberculin (crude diluted 1:10, 0.1 cc.) into 

 a normal guinea pig causes a local reaction, similar in its aspect to a tuber- 

 culin reaction, which is of good prognostic value in diagnosis of tuberculosis." 



The behavior of tuberculin in the tuberculous and nontuberculous organ- 

 isms, W. G. RUPPEL and K. Joseph {Ztschr. Immunitalsf. u. Expt. Tlier., I, 

 Orig., 21 {1914), No. 1-5, pp. 277-295).— It was found that dead, intact, or 

 rubbed up tubercle bacilli when given intravenously to guinea pigs and to rab- 

 bits do not excite the symptoms of an acute intoxication. The chronic symptoms 

 which result after giving normal guinea pigs killed tubercle bacilli may simply 

 be caused by introducing foreign bodies and bringing about anatomical changes. 



Aqueous extracts made from disintegrated tubercle bacilli when given sub- 

 cutaneously to tuberculous guinea pigs produce a fall of temperature and are 

 lethal in amounts of 0.0005 gm. Smaller doses of the soluble poison produce 

 first a rise and then a fall in temperature. In healthy animals the poison ex- 

 tracted by water from tubercle bacilli produces a rise in temperature, and only 

 with large amounts (0.025 gm. of soluble dry substance) is a fall of temperature 

 with subsequent death observed. The lethal dose for healthy animals is 500 

 times greater than that for tuberculous animals. 



