VETERINAEY MEDICINE. 383 



animals (most commonly the rabbit or the calf) with a small known quantity 

 of the organism under investigation. If the infection results iu a rapid dis- 

 semination of the disease and the speedy death of the animal, it may be affirmed 

 that the bovine bacillus is present in the organism. If, on the other hand, the 

 resulting lesions are few and tending to be retrogressive, and death ensues aftei 

 a very considerable intei-val of time, or from some intercurrent disease, the 

 infection may be classified as human. 



" The inoculation is made intravenously, and the dissemination of the 

 diseai?« is a general one. When the inoculation is made locally, there results a 

 localized, development of tubercle, and the degree of local reaction varies accord- 

 ing to whether the human or the bovine bacillus has been the causative factor. 

 A distinction can be drawn between human and bovine bacilli by the local 

 reaction, as well as by the general reaction produced in these animals." 



In the author's opinion, the ideal situation in which to demonstrate changes 

 is the synovial membrane ©f the knee .ioint of the rabbit. 



Tuberculin testing of cattle, W. G. Chrisman (Bvl. N. C. Dcpt. Apr.. 33 

 (JO 12), No. 7, pp. 15, figs. 6).— This deals with the activities of the North Caro- 

 lina Department of Agriculture in eradicating tuberculosis from the herds of 

 state institutions, creameries, private herds, etc. 



In 1909, 79 herds of cattle, amounting to 990 head, were tested, and the 

 results showed the disease in 0.35 per ceat of the animals. The reactors repre- 

 sented pure-bred cattle which were brought into the State for breeding and dairy 

 purposes. 



In 1910 the amount of reactors rose to 6.87 per cent, again due to importa- 

 tions, 33 per cent of some car loads being reactors. A number of large herds 

 which had been tested some years ago, and the diseased animals allowed to 

 remain, were also retested, and in some of these herds 50 per cent of the ani- 

 mals were diseased and a large number suspicious, many of which reacted on 

 subsequent tests. 



In 1911 twice as many cattle were tested as in 1930. and 4 times as many as 

 in 1909. The percentage of the reactors in 1911 was 1.4. 



The work indicates that less than one-tenth per cent of the native cattle are 

 tubercular. The cause assigned for this small percentage is the mild climate, 

 the cattle being usualy kept in barns only from about Christmas to April, and 

 then as a rule simply for milking or during falling weather and an occasional 

 cold day. 



The results are tabulated by counties. 



About the detection of tubercle bacilli in the excreta of bovines suspected 

 of being tuberculous, with especial reference to the antiformin method, 

 C. TiTZE (Ar6. K. Qsndhtsamt., J,S (1913), No. 4, pp. 520-54.',).— The investiga- 

 tion, which was mnde with discharges from the lungs, mammary gland, and the 

 uterus of animals suspecte<l of having open tuberculosis, shows that the acid- 

 fast tubercle bacilli present in bovines can not always be differentiated from 

 other acid-fast organisms, especially the organisms causing paratuberculosis of 

 the intestines, and the Brem-Beitzke organism occurring in water. 



When considering an animal clinically tuberculous, the microscopic method 

 will often, especially in the open cases, diagnose the presence of tuberculosis. 

 Precaution, however, must be taken to exclude outside contamination of the 

 sample. 



Comparing the usual microscopic method with the results of preparations 

 treated by the antiformin method, it is concluded that the latter has no marked 

 advantages over the former. Only when much material is at hand can the anti- 

 formin or a similar method be employed for the microscopic detection of tubercle 

 bacilli. The most certain of all methods is the guinea pig test. In this case 



