1917] VETERINARY MEDICINE. 181 



An investigation of human bone and joint tuberculosis, A. S. Griffith 

 (Jour. Path, and Bact., 21 (1916), No. 1, pp. 5^-77).— Of 155 cases of human 

 bone and joint tuberculosis examined, 14 cases yielded negative results, 1 case 

 was of multiple abscesses in the muscles, 4 cases were joint tuberculosis, in 

 whicli cases the cultures were not isolated from the joint lesions but from 

 tuberculous foci in other parts of the body, and in 136 cases cultures of tu- 

 bercle bacilli were obtained from tuberculous bone or joint lesions. Of these 

 cases 107 yielded human strains, 24 bovine, and 5 were atypical. The de- 

 tailed clinical data and bacteriological results of the cases are reported in 

 tabular form. The bacteriological characteristics of the tubercle bacilli iso- 

 lated are discussed, and tabulated experimental data relative to experiments 

 on the subcutaneous inoculation of rabbits with cultures Isolated from various 

 sources are reported. 



The relative prevalence of human and bovine infection in bone and joint 

 tuberculosis in different countries and at various age periods is discussed in 

 some detail. The intimate connection between human and bovine tuberculosis 

 and the danger to human beings, especially in childhood, of the consumption of 

 living tubercle bacilli is emphasized. See also a previous note (E. S. R., 35, 

 p. 576). 



Some facts about abortion disease, E. C. Schboeder and W. E. Cotton 

 (f7. S. Dept. Ayr., Jour. Agr. Research, 9 (1911), No. 1, pp. 9-i6).— The data 

 here presented have largely been noted from another source (E. S. R., 36, p. 

 881). The subject is dealt with under the headings of characteristics of the 

 abortion bacillus, production of seemingly normal calves by infected cows, ex- 

 perimental infection introduced through the teat, the udder as a positive channel 

 of infection, possibility of infection thi'ough the bull, and relation of the abor- 

 tion bacillus to the embryo or fetus. The conclusions drawn are as follows: 



" To prevent the further spread of abortion disease, owners of uninfected 

 cattle should be instructed to have careful agglutination tests for abortion 

 disease made of all cattle they propose to introduce Into their herds ; and 

 owners of infected herds should be taught that aborted fetuses, also the after- 

 birth and discharge from the vaginas of infected cows, are infected with abor- 

 tion bacilli and must therefore be disposed of with care. • 



" The treatment of individual cows which have aborted or failed to clean prop- 

 erly after parturition must be left largely to the good judgment of the practicing 

 veterinarian. If the uterus is given a proper chance to heal after it has been 

 damaged by an abortion or a retained afterbirth, the abortion bacilli in it 

 need occasion little worry, as they will rapidly disappear of their own accord, 

 and it is very questionable whether reparative pi-ocesses are not retarded rather 

 than facilitated by douching with germicidal solutions which are strong enough 

 to kill bacteria in a reasonable length of time, or the length of time during 

 which they may remain undiluted in the uterus. Douching is no doubt good 

 practice, but it is desirable that there be a flooding out, a washing out, a real 

 physical cleaning of the uterus ; and this can best be done with solutions which 

 are healing rather than germicidal, soothing, and not irritating." 



Further investigations into the etiology of worm nests in cattle due to 

 Onchocerca gibsoni, II, J. B. Cleland, S. Dodd, and E. W. Ferguson (Mel- 

 boume, Aust.: Govt. 11917], pp. J^l). — This communication gives the details 

 of investigations carried on from 1913 to the end of October, 1915, in continu- 

 ation of those previously noted (E. S. R., 32. p. 377), together with the deduc- 

 tions drawn. The authors summarize the results obtained and the views which 

 they now hold in regard to the transmission of 0. gibsoni as follows: 



" Conveyance of O. gibsoni from one bovine to another in the open is still 

 taking place at Milson Island. Experiments with large numbers of Stomoxys, 



