780 EXPEKIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The insect carrier and the reservoir of the virus of oriental sore. — Hypothe- 

 sis and preliminary experiments, E. Sergknt, G. I^emaiek, and G. Senkvftf 

 (Bui. 8oc. Path. Exot., 7 {lilUi), No. 7, pp. 577-570; abs. in Rev. Appl. Eat., 2 

 (1914), Ser. B, No. 12, pp. I'M, 200).— 'Hic authors have found that Phlehotomus 

 tninutus africanus not only feeds upon the jrecko {TarcntoJa mnuriianicti) but 

 also bites man. From 19.7 per cent of the geckos examined they have been able 

 to i>rei)are pure cultures of a I.ei>tomonas which resembles that obtained from 

 cultures of oriental sore (Biskra boil, tropical ulcer), lieferences are given to 

 the literatui-e on the subject. 



New serum and liver substances as levuloses in trypanosom.iasis, K. 

 SciiERN (Jour. Med. Rcfteanli, ,W (I'.H.'f). No. 3, pp. 5,^3-5J,0). — Previously noted 

 from another soiu'ce (K. S. II. , .'{O. [). ysi). 



The value of physical examination and clinical diagnosis in the control of 

 tuberculosis in cattle, V. A. Mookk {Rpt. N. Y. Hlate It/. Vol., l'Jll-12. pp. 

 169-17')). — The author concludes that a physic:il examination will enable a 

 skilknl examiner to detect advanced cases of tuberculosis in cattle and the 

 presence of lesions in less advanced cases so that the suspected animals can be 

 removed. If properly carried out, it will also detect from SO to 90 per cent of 

 the animals which are actually spreading the virus and a large percentage of 

 those about to become spreaders but which have not elimin;ited the specific 

 bacteria. It wnll not, however, detect more than from 1 to 5 per cent of the 

 Infected animals at any one time, and can not be relied uix»n to detect all 

 infected cattle. For this reason its value is verj^ largely restricted to the intra- 

 herd control of the disease, while in interherd control tuberculin is the only 

 dingnostic agent we have. 



The intrapalpebral and intradermic palpebral tuberculin tests, G. iloussu 

 {Rec. M6d. V6t., 91 (1914), A'o. 13, pp. 425-434, figs. 5; abs. in Jour. Compar. 

 Path, and TJicr., 27 (1914), No. 3, pp. 265, 266). — The objections which may be 

 raised to the nse of the subcutaneous tuberculin test are discussed at some 

 length. From the practitioTier's standjioint are mentioned the amount of trouble 

 involved in taking the temper;) tures; the possibility of noting temperatures in- 

 correctly; the difficulty of interpreting irreguhir results: the necessity of keep- 

 ing the animals indoors, which is in itself sometimes su.fficient to cause a rise 

 of temperature; the impossibility of applying the te.st to animals in a febrile 

 condition; and the necessity of carrying out the test at certain hours at the 

 risk of making serious errors. These are not objections to the method itself, 

 but are due to conditions under which the test is carried out. 



On the side of the owners of cattle the following objections may prevail : 

 (1) A reduction in the milk yield; (2) danger of specific mastitis; and (3) 

 danger of aggravating the general condition of the diseased animals. In view 

 of these objections the local tests, intradermic and intrapaljiebral. are con- 

 sidered more useful, more practical, and more economic from the owner's ixiint 

 of view and more remunerative than the subcutaneous method from the jirac- 

 titioner's point of view. 



There is no difl3culty in applying the test. pro\ided a suitable syringe is used; 

 " this should have a capacity of 1 cc. The needle should be about 1^ cm. in 

 length and 7 mm. in diameter. The barrel of the syringe should be graduated 

 into tenths, and the piston rod should have a traveling stop on it. It is 

 advised that 0.1 cc. of ordinary tuberculin should be used, special tuberculin of 

 any kind not being requireil. 



"When the test has been proi)erly carried out ;i little swelling should be 

 formed in the subepidermic tissue, about the size of a large lentil, where the 

 tuberculin is injected. Reactions are said to make their api>earance more 

 rapidly and more clearly the more recent and the more limited the lesions. 



