680 EXPKBIMENT STATION RECORD. 



" It appears to us from the observation of a large number of animals and 

 quite a number of human beings dying of tetanus that the exhaustion due to 

 the muscular contractions is a large factor in producing fatal results. For 

 this reason much of our work has been given to the attempt to hold these con- 

 vulsions in check. The presence of a large amount of toxin in the blood sev- 

 eral days (in sheep it can be demonstrated 4 days) before the onset of clini- 

 cal symptoms makes it imperative that a method be de\ised for easily deter- 

 mining this. With such a method it is quite probable that we could save a 

 large proportion of our tetanus cases. 



" With our present knowledge of the subject, the best that can be done in 

 the treatment of tetanus is to neutralize the toxin with repeated doses of 

 serum while controlling the muscular spasm with some such drug as chlor- 

 butanol." 



On the adult forms of Trypanosoma americanum in naturally infected 

 animals, F. M. Johns (Atner. Jour. Trop. Diseases and Prev. Med., 1 (1913), 

 No. 1, pp. 49-59, pi. 1). — This paper presents a description of forms found in 

 the blood of naturally infected animals, the technique for their demonstration, 

 and the points brought out in cultural studies. 



Of 43 adult cattle and 7 yearlings which were examined directly, all of the 

 cattle and 2 of the yearlings were found infected. 



Treatment of calf dysentery, J. MiJNiCH (Munchen. Tierdrztl. Wchnschr., 56 

 (1912), No. 26, pp. 465-470; al)S. in Centbl. Bakt. [etc.], 1. AM., Ref., 55 (1912), 

 No. 16, p. 506; Berlin. Tierdrztl. Wchnschr., 29 (1913), No. 26, p. 471).— A. num- 

 ber of animals in various barns were vaccinated with a germ-free bacillary 

 extract of the causative organism. In most cases the results were beneficial. 

 In 1 barn they were entirely negative. 



The tick-killing properties of sodium arsenate, W. F. Cooper and H. E. 

 Laws (Agr. Jour. Union So. Africa, 5 (1913), No. 5, pp. 716-721).— The authors' 

 work demonstrates that sodium arsenate has some tick-killing action, although 

 its power is not more than 50 per cent of that of sodium arsenite. 



" It is obvious that to judge the activity of a dip solely on its content of 

 sodium arsenite (as, for example, by means of the isometer) is to incur risks 

 of a very serious nature, especially when oxidation has taken place to any 

 great extent. The only true test of the activity of a cattle dip is to test it on 

 tick-infested cattle, when it will be found that even those dips which contain 

 exactly the same quantity of sodium arsenite as well as arsenate are not all 

 equal in effect. In any case any testing of the activity of a dip which takes 

 no account of the tick-killing action of sodium arsenate can give only false 

 results and should not be adopted under any circumstances." 



Vaccination ag'ainst sheep pox by means of a sensitized virus, J. Bridr:^ 

 and A. Boqtjet (Compt. Rend. Acad. Sd. [Paris], 154 (1912), No. 3, pp. 14^- 

 146; abs. in CentU. Bakt. [etc.], 1. AU., Ref., 53 (1912), No. 18, p. 572).— The 

 virus is exposed for 48 hours to the action of Borrel's antisheep-pox serum. 

 After this treatment it loses its virulency, and if a sheep is injected subcuta- 

 neously with the attenuated virus, only a local reaction occurs. Of the 300 

 animals treated in this manner SO per cent showed a local reaction without any 

 open wound remaining. The vaccine, according to the authors, gives certain 

 protection and is without danger to the animal. The local reaction is consid- 

 ered specific because sheep not having the disease vnll not react. Immunity is 

 established 48 hours post vaccination. 



Vaccination against pox in sheep by a sensitized virus, J. Bridre and A. 

 BoQUET (Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. [Paris], 154 (1912), No. 19, pp. 1256, 1257).— 

 The process of vaccination by a sensitized virus, reported upon in the above 

 abstract, is considered a very efficacious prophylactic method for securing Im- 



