478 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



the behavior toward carbohydrates and the agglutination reactions. Its ag- 

 glutinative relation to the paratj-phoid (paracolon) and the dysentery gi-oup 

 is weak as regards the former and negative or nearly so as regards the latter. 

 It differs from the typhoid l)aclllus in being nonmotile." 



The pathog'enic action of the fowl typhoid bacillus with special reference 

 to certain toxins, T. Smith and C. TenBroeck {Jour. Med. Research, 31 (1915), 

 No. 3, pp. 523-5JiG, fig. 1). — The investigations reported, which are based upon 

 a large number of experiments made during the past four years, have demon- 

 stratetl the presence of a toxin in filtrates which appears as early as the end of 

 two days in cultures kept at 37° C. The medium chiefly used was peptonized 

 veal bi'oth plus 0.1 per cent dextrose in shallow layers. The prompt effect on 

 rabbits by the intravenous route leading to death within two hours is said to 

 be in many respects like an anaphylactic shock. While the authors have not 

 presented any definite proof that the fowl typhoid bacillus plays any part in 

 the food or so-called ptomaine poisoning in man, they believe that this or- 

 ganism should be searched for in any study of the cause of such outbreaks. 



A note on the relation between B. pullorum (Rettger) and the fowl typhoid 

 bacillus (Moore), T. Smith and C. TenBeoeck (Jour. Med. Research, 31 {1915), 

 No. 3, pp. 547-555). — "The bacillus of fowl typhoid as studied in the type cul- 

 tures I and II differed from Bacillus pullorum in that recently isolated strains 

 of the latter produced a little gas in both dextrose jand mannite bouillon or in 

 dextrose only. We can not affirm at present whether any strains of the fowl 

 typhoid bacillus jiroduced gas when freshly isolated, or whether certain freshly 

 isolated strains of B. pullorum do not produce gas. In our strains the total 

 amount of gas produced by any strain did not exceed 30 per cent of the closed 

 arm of the fermentation tube. 



"A second difference between the two types is determined by maltose. This 

 is acidified by fowl typhoid bacilli, and not by B. pullorum. In other respects 

 the types are alike. Toxin production is identical and differences in immuno- 

 logical reactions have not been found. 



" Strains of B. pullorum which do not produce gas might be mistaken for 

 B. dysenteriw (Shiga) unless serological tests (agglutination) are resorted to 

 and mannite included in the fermentation tests. They might be mistaken for 

 the Flexner type unless sei'ological tests are applied. So-called nonmotile 

 strains of the typhoid bacillus can be differentiated from the fowl typhoid 

 group only by careful morphological studies. The gas production of B. pullo- 

 rum is of a fluctuating character which seems to disappear during artificial 

 cultivation. 



" The statement made by Hadley [E. S. R., 26, p. 1S5] that the fowl typhoid 

 bacillus probably belongs to the fowl cholei'a (rabbit septicemia) group is dis- 

 pi'oved by so many facts that it need not be specially considered. 



" The terminology of this group is likely to become confusing if, at present, 

 we identify with each other the fowl typhoid and the pullorum types. A better 

 plan would be to adhere, for the time being, to the separation, until a much 

 larger number of races have been carefully studied, and fluctuating and per- 

 manent differences recorded. If these organisms should prove to be a species 

 in the making which has not yet acquired its final characters, other variations 

 than those to which we have referred may be encountered." 



Influence of sickness of cattle on the milk, F. Zaribmcky {Arch. Wiss. it. 

 Prakt. Tierheillc, 40 {WW, No. 1,-5, pp. 355-381) .—li\ this study it was found 

 that the fat content is quite variable in disease, in some cases there being a 

 rapid rise in fat content and in others a reduction, ranging from 1.7 per cent 

 with cows affected with mastitis (E. S. R., 27, p. S7S) to 19.5 per cent with 



