388 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECOED. 



were used as a guidance in tests conducted on other animals, imported Hnd 

 otherwise. 



The subcutaneous test is discussed in a vei*y comprehensive manner and the 

 following facts are emphasized : " In some animals, especially in case of overfat, 

 recently imported ' show ' cattle, as also in cows and heifers advanced in preg- 

 nancy and those in which parturition has recently occurred, the body tempera- 

 ture is liable to show variation from day to day of 1 to 2° F. or more. Not all 

 tuberculous cattle respond thermally to the subcutaneous tuberculin test. Even 

 amongst those animals which are capable of giving a febrile reaction in re- 

 sponse to the injection of tuberculin the highest temperature recorded after 

 inoculation may fall below 104°, and if such animals are retested, even with a 

 double dose of the same stock tuberculin, after an interval of only one mouth, 

 the chances in favor of their nonreaction are greater than of their reaction." 



Tuberculin loses some of its properties when stored under unfavorable condi- 

 tions or in a diluted state. It is not strictly correct to assume that animals 

 injected with tuberculin will not show a local swelling such as is observed with 

 the mallein test in a glandered animal. These phenomena, although not con- 

 stant, sometimes occur and one should be on the lookout for them, especially 

 when retesting doubtful reactors. The swellings may vary in size but they 

 are at times as large as the palm of one's hand. They are most often evident in 

 thin-skinned animals and those in somewhat poor condition. 



The conjunctival-, ophthalmic-, or oculo- tuberculin reaction when conducted 

 simultaneously with the subcutaneous test does not give a marked reaction. It 

 is better to make the conjunctival test shortly before or some four or five days 

 after the subcutaneous test. One may, however, apply the intradermal test 

 simultaneously with the conjunctival test with excellent results. Good results 

 may be obtained by submitting the animals to a conjunctival test the dny 

 previous, or even twelve hours or so before applying the subcutaneous test. 

 The author is not inclined to concur in the belief of some workers that a previ- 

 ous subcutaneous test does not influence in any way or prevent a subsequent 

 conjunctival reaction, as animals do not acquire a tolerance against the con- 

 junctival test. A tuberculous animal previously submitted to the conjunc- 

 tival test will after a few days when given a subcutaneous injection of tuber- 

 culin show a secondary reaction in the eye. This was noted in a minority of 

 the subjects. 



The intradermal test (E. S. R., 30, p. 883) wns tried on upwnrds of 225 

 animals. The results were controlled in every case by a later subcutaneous 

 test, and whenever possible the animals were slaughtered and submitted to a 

 careful post-mortem examination. " The subjects of the experiments com- 

 prised calves, bulls, cows, heifers, in fact all classes of bovines, some being 

 known tuberculous animals which were purchased for the purpose of experi- 

 ment, others being doubtful reactors to the subcutaneous tuberculin test, whilst 

 a large number were imported or colonial cnttle, the foi-mer history of most 

 of these being unknown. Briefly, the intradermal test hns given very satisfac- 

 tory results and has proved, to the satisfaction of the writer, its utility as a 

 diagnostic method. It is not claimed that the intradermal test is superior to 

 the ordinary subcutaneous (tuberculin) test, but in the writer's opinion the 

 first-mentioned test is very nearly, if not quite, equal to the latter as a diag- 

 nostic method ; moreover, it possesses a number of advantages over the subcu- 

 taneous method." 



A remedy for clover bloat, D. J. Healy and J. W. Nutteb (Breeder's Oas., 

 61 il91-')), No. 25, p. J 198). — The occurrence of bloat in the Kentucky Experi- 

 ment Station dairy herd following the consumption of clover led the authors to 

 experiment with n view to discovering an efficient remedy therefor. 



