784 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.43 



The toxicity of the alkaloids from different parts of the plant, as determined 

 by intravenous injections into rabbits, appeared to decrease in the following 

 order : Green leaves, green pods, flowers, ripe seeds, green seeds, and mature 

 pods. The percentage of crude alkaloids estimated as lupanin appeared to 

 decrease in the order of green fruit, ripe seeds, early seeds, ripe pods, green 

 leaves, and flowers. These findings, together with the reports of poisoning on 

 the range, are considered to " substantiate the fact that L. argentcus is a dan- 

 gerous plant from the first appearance of the pods until the seeds have been 

 expelled from them. . . . The author believes that too much emphasis has 

 been placed upon poisoning from the ripe seeds." 



On purification two alkaloids were isolated from a composite sample, one a 

 water-soluble crystalline substance with an extremely bitter taste, and the 

 other a brown oily liquid with strongly alkaline reaction and bitter taste, and 

 evidently more highly toxic than the other. 



"The results of chemical and pharmacological investigations of L. argenteus 

 are far from complete. A detailed study is being made not only of the alka- 

 loidal constituents but of the resins, volatile oil, etc., as well, and this will 

 be made the subject, of a station publication during the coming year." 



Contagious abortion investigations, J. W. Connaway, A. J. Durant, and 

 H. G. Newman (Missouri Sta. Bill. 112 (1920), pp. U, ^5).— Serological tests, 

 including retests, made during the year on 1,260 blood samples from 51 herds 

 comprising 587 animals, showed infection in 35 herds, with 171 positive reactors. 



To determine through what channels Bacillvs abortus Bang can invade the 

 pregnant uterus, artificial infection with cultures of the organism was at- 

 tempted in several pairs of heifers by ingestion, by injection into the udder 

 through the teats after inserting a sterile milk tube, by injection into the 

 vagina, by subcutaneous injection with a saline suspension of the culture, and 

 by contact with heifers which had aborted after having been fed cultures of 

 the organism. All of the animals in the experiment developed positive reac- 

 tions to the blood tests for abortion disease and have remained reactors. All 

 of the living calves showed a positive reaction to the test at birth, but ceased 

 to react later. INIilk from the lactating heifers gave a positive reaction. 



To determine the specificity of B. abort us Bang, six pregnant sows were 

 inoculated with cultures of the organism of bovine origin, one by intramuscular, 

 one by intravenous, two by intra-axillary, and two by vaginal injection. Of 

 the first four 2 aborted. One, which was a positive reactor, gave birth to six 

 healthy living pigs and one dead one, and had four runty pigs. The two given 

 vaginal injections did not abort nor show any reaction to the abortion test. 



A review of several publications on infectious abortion disease, E. C. 

 ScHEOEDER (Jour. Anier. Vet. Med. Assoc, 51 (1920), No. 3, pp. 210-281).— This 

 paper, presented at the annual meeting of the American Veterinary IMedical 

 Association at New Orleans in November, 1919, consists of a review and dis- 

 cussion of several recent articles on abortion disease, most of which have 

 been previously noted from the original sources. 



Goitre and associated conditions in domestic animals, J. W. Kalkus 

 (Washington Sta. Bui. 155 (1920), pp. JfS-46). — In continuation of work con- 

 ducted since 1915 at the temporary station in the Methow Valley, a popular 

 bulletin on which has been noted (E. S. R., 43, p. 384), experiments consisted 

 chiefly in further determination of the value of iodin in the prevention of 

 goitre and hairlessness. Since tincture of iodin applied to the skin had given 

 as good results as any other form of administration, it was resorted to entirely 

 during the season 1918-19. Treatment of angora does with 1 cc. of tincture of 

 iodin, which was poured on the skin every two weeks throughout pregnancy, 



