472 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.43 



and explain the use of an extract of colon bacilli as a control antigen, and 

 report tlie results of the application of the test in the examination of a num- 

 ber of horses on two army transports. 



Of 50 horses proved on autopsy to be glandered, 4 had given positive lipoid 

 fixation tests immediately, but responded at first negatively to the conrplement 

 fixation and agglutination tests. Three other horses wliich had given negative 

 results with the complement and agglutination tests reacted weakly positive to 

 the lipoid fixation test, and proved on autopsy to have pulmonary glanders. 



Investigations on specific ophthalmia, in continuation of the observa- 

 tions made whilst in the abattoir, Paris (December 7, 1918) , T. Dalling 

 {Vet. Jour., 15 (1919), No. 523, pp. 16-24).— The author reports upon studies 

 of sections of optic nerves from animals affected with specific ophthalmia, 

 made with a view to ascertaining whether or not any structural changes 

 could be observed. 



In smears made of the nerve )natter, he found an organism present which 

 was easily demonstrated, to which he refers as the " nerve bacillus." Pure 

 cultures of this organism were obtained. Examinations were then made of 8 

 animals affected with the disease, obtained from Havre butchers, and typical 

 growths were obtained from each of the 16 nerves. 



The organism appears as a cocco-bacillus with rounded ends, 1 to 2 mm. 

 in length by i to 1 mm. in breadth. Pairs are very often seen end to end. It is 

 motile, and stains well with any of the anilin dyes, is not acid fast, but is 

 strongly gram negative. It grows both aerobically and anaerobically, but best 

 as an aerobe and on practically all ordinary culture media. 



Numerous inoculation experiments have been made on both horses and 

 laboratory animals with various results. Since young cultures have practi- 

 cally no effect and the old have, the author considers it reasonable to assume 

 that the organism must be present in considerable numbers before any evil 

 effects are seen. Animals suffering from the disease and those cured had 

 developed agglutinin in their blood which was capable of acting on the " nerve 

 bacillus," indicating that this organism is at least one of the causes. 



A study of the bacterial flora of the conjunctival sac of the horse, at the 

 Central Veterinary Research Institute, Aldershot, R. H. Knowles {Jour. 

 Conipar. Path, and Tlver., S3 {1920). No. 1, pp. 13-22, figs. 4).— A comparison 

 made of the cultural findings of normal eyes with those of eyes affected with 

 recurrent ophthalmia shows that the principal differences occur in the case 

 of the two diphtheroid forms (of which the first is the Bacillus xerosis), which 

 make ug as high as 31 and 11.9 per cent, respectively, in normal eyes and 80 

 and 30 per cent in the eyes of affected animals. 



"These are the most numerous organisms in the normal eyes, and they 

 also show the greatest increase in number during an attack of recurrent 

 ophthalm.ia. On the other hand, the other two varieties of organisms com- 

 monly present, viz. Staphylococcus alhus and Streptothrix, show a slight 

 decrease. It is this frequent occurrence of the B. xerosis which has from 

 time to time led observers to assign a pathogenic r61e to it. All strains of 

 these diphtheroids have, however, proved to be avirulent, and it must be con- \ 

 eluded that the inflammatory phenomena associated with pathological condi- ! 

 tions of the eje in some manner specially favor the growth of the organisms." 



A trypanosome associated witli a fatal disease in the carabao, F. 6. 

 Haughwout and S. Youngbekg {rhilippine Jour. Sci., 16 {1920), No. 1, pp. 77-87, 

 fi,gs. 2, pis. S). — This is a report of studies of a trypanosome found in the blood 

 of a male carabao at the rinderpest immunizing station at Fernando, Pam- 

 panga Province, P. I. While this form in many ways resembles Trypanosoma 



