VETERINARY MEDICINE. 579 



About a new skin reaction for diagnosing pregnancy, E. Engelhobn and 

 H. WiNTz (Miinchen. Med. Wchnschr., 61 (1914), No. 13, pp. 689, 690, fig. 1; 

 ahs. in Jour. Amer. lied. Assoc, 62 (191^), No. 19, p. 1514). — The reaction is 

 conducted in a manner similar to tlie tuberculin and luetin reactions, viz, by 

 injecting the alien protein Into the sliin. In the test an extract of the placenta, 

 termed " placentin," was used. 



" In 70 pregnant women a reaction in the skin was constantly obtaine<l. 

 while there was no reaction in 53 men and children and nonpregnant women. 

 The only contradictory finding was a positive reaction in one child of six with 

 bladder disease. The reaction became positive in pregnant women from the 

 seventh week on and persisted for three or four days after delivery." 



On the filterability and biology of spirochetes, S. B. Wolbach {Amer. 

 Jour. Trap. Diseases and Prev. Med., 2 {1915), No. 8, pp. 494-505, pis. ^).— The 

 author's conclusions are " tliat the method of filtration as a means of sepa- 

 rating spiral organisms from ordinary bacteria will probably hold good for 

 other saprophytic and pathogenic spirochetes and allied micro-organisms; that 

 organisms larger than many bacteria will pass the Berkefeld V, N, and W 

 filters, namely, Spirochwta diittoni, and the ones we have tentatively called 

 S. elusa, '8. hiflexa, and the spiral organism from the colon of man, which is 

 probably the organism commonly recognized in preparation as an ' intestinal 

 spirochete ' ; that there is no evidence of spirochetes multiplying by any other 

 method than single fission. It is certain that the granules, coiled forms, and 

 swollen terminals of the spiral organisms cultivated by us are not capable of 

 multiplication in any form." 



A simple method for the preparation of stable control extracts for anthrax 

 precipitation, B. Schubekt {Berlin. Tierdrztl. Wchnsehr., 30 {1914), No. 9, pp. 

 151, 152). — In the directions given for conducting the Ascoli procedure the 

 making of two control tests is recommended for the purpose of excluding the 

 possibility of errors, but the precipitation each time of a control extract is not 

 convenient. By preparing J cc. of the extract in the regular manner, filter- 

 ing through asbestos into test tubes, and sterilizing for ten minutes for three 

 successive days, a stable extract which may be used at any time is obtained. 

 If a precipitation occurs after the first sterilization, the solution in the tubes 

 is filtered through asbestos again in the manner described. 



Nerve degeneration in fowls fed on unhusked rice (palay), R. B. Gibson 

 and I. CoNCEPCioN {Philippine Jour. 8ci., Sect. B, 9 {1914), No. 1, pp. 119-123, 

 pi. 1). — From this work it appears that the substitution of rough rice for the 

 polished article is not completely protective against beri-beri in all individuals. 

 The authors state that " we do not mean to say that this substitution has not 

 practically eliminated beri-beri where it has been undertaken or that the use of 

 rice polishing is not without great thei"ai>eutic value. But in view of the 

 accumulated evidence, we can say that the addition of other feedstufifs to a 

 diet of unpolished rice is essential to meet the normal nutritive requirements 

 of the body." 



[Foot-and-mouth disease] {Cornell Vet., 4 {1915), No. 5, pp. 221-259, pis. 8, 

 figs. 3). — A number of articles are here presented which relate to foot-and- 

 mouth disease, namely. The Outbreak of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, by P. A. Fish 

 (pp. 221-223) ; History of Foot-and-Mouth Disease, by J. Law (pp. 224-230) ; 

 The Nature of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (pp. 231-234), Economic Significance 

 and Methods for Control (pp. 247-250), and What Animal Owners Should Do 

 to Prevent Foot-and-Mouth Disease (pp. 256-258), by V. A. Moore; Etiology 

 and Morbid Anatomy, by C. P. Fitch (pp. 235-239) ; Symptomatology, by R. R. 

 Birch (pp. 240, 241) ; Diagnosis and Differential Diagnosis, by D. H. Udall 



