586 EXPERIMENT STATION EECOED. 



the results of experiments carried on in the laboratory at Cedara during a 

 period of 6 months. 



It was found that no oxidation whatever of the arsenite took place in a dip 

 fluid made up of sodium arsenite in pure water but that the addition of ex- 

 cretory matter caused such rapid oxidation that within 2 months practically all 

 the arsenite had disappeared. It is shown that oxidation is far more rapid 

 during the warmer summer months of the year, owing to the greater activity 

 of the bacteria at the higher temperatures. 



The toxic properties of arsenite and arsenate of soda, J. Muller {Agr. 

 Jour. Union So. Africa, 5 (1913), No. 5, pp. 714-^16). — In the investigations 

 frogs were not affected by water in a pool found to contain 5 grains of arsenite 

 of soda per gallon, drinlving from which had caused the death of a number of 

 calves. In 3 experiments conducted frogs placed in water containing 3.7 grains 

 of arsenate of soda, 4.1 grains of arsenate of soda, and 8 grains of arsenate of 

 soda, re.spectively, per gallon of liquid and allowed to swim died in 4 hours, 

 7 days, and S hours, respectively. 



The reported hosts of Cysticercus cellulose, B. H. Ransom (^Science, n. 

 ser., 37 (1013), No. OSJj, pp. 577, 578).— It is pointed out that the only hosts in 

 which the occurrence of C. cellulosce can be considered to have been proved are 

 the pig, its usual host ; man, as a result of auto-infection ; and the dog. 



About the diag'nostic value of the complement fixation test and the 

 ophthalmic reaction in the diagnosis of infectious abortion in cows, P. 

 Hantsche (iiher den diagnostischen Wert der KomplemeniMndung und der 

 Ophthalmorealciion ieim infektiosen Abortus der Kiihe. Inaug. Diss., Tierdrztl. 

 Hochsch. Dresden, 1912, pp. 47, pis. 2; ahs. in Centbl. Baltt. [etc.^, 1. AU., Ref., 

 55 (1912), No. 6, pp. 182, 183).— Ot the 255 animals examined. 225 originated 

 from infected barns and 30 from barns apparently having no diseased animals 

 in them. The sera of the last-named animals in no case produced a total 13xa- 

 tion of complement when 0.1 cc. was employed. This value, 0.1 cc, is set down 

 as a limiting standard for distinguishing between diseased and sound animals. 



Of 36 animals which were suspected clinically, i. e., animals in which an 

 abortion or premature birth had previously occurred, 33 gave a positive reaction 

 and 3 a negative reaction. In 1 case the complement fixing substances were 

 absent IJ mouths after the premature births, but the agglutinins were still 

 present. The remaining 189 animals (156 cows, 22 heifers, and 11 bulls), in 

 which clinical symptoms were not present and which came from barns con- 

 taining diseased animals, gave a positive reaction. 



The ophthalmic reaction was obtained with only 52 per cent of the animals 

 which were positively diseased. Forty-four animals which were suspected but 

 which had not previously aborted, showed positive in 47.7 per cent of cases. 

 One hundred animals which did not abort or give a positive serological test, 

 but which came from an infected barn, reacted positively in 26 per cent of 

 ca.ses. . Of 25 animals which were without doubt nounborters 12 per cent gave 

 a positive reaction. 



About the diagnostic value of the agglutination and intracutaneous reac- 

 tions for diagnosing infectious abortion in cows, W. Schulz (iiher den 

 diagnostischen We^^t der Agglutination und der Intrakutamreaktion helm 

 infektiosen Abortus der Kiihe. Inaug. Diss., Tierdrztl. Hochsch. Dresden, 1912, 

 pp. J,3; abs. in Centbl. Bakt. [etc.^, 1. AU., Rcf., 55 (1912), No. 6, pp. 183, 

 184). — In this work the sera of 153 bovines were tested. For the agglutina- 

 tion test a reaction obtained with a dilution of 1:50 or greater is considered 

 positive. Utilizing this limit, 30 animals were found to be free from the 

 disease. The sera from 24 animals clinically diseased showed positive in 22 



