684 EXPERIMENT STATION RECOED. 



areas, while toxic has no germicidal properties. All the preparations produced 

 a marked local reaction (secondary tuberculin reaction), but when given in- 

 travenously to rabbits yielded favorable results. The life of these animals 

 was not only prolonged for many months but, in addition, an increase in 

 weight was produced. No improvement was noted in guinea pigs which 

 received the preparations subcutaneously. 



The treatment of bovine mammitis by serum, B. Eggink, Jr. (Tijdschr. 

 Veeartsenijk., 39 (1912), No. 5, pp. 19^-197; a&.<?. in Ann. MM. Vet., 61 {1912), 

 No. 6, pp. 332-334; Vet. Rec, 25 {1912), No. 1253, p. i8).— The use of an anti- 

 streptococcic serum as a treatment for acute and fairly well advanced, non- 

 purulent cases of mammitis gave good results. 



[Cattle ticks in Costa E-ica], J. E. van der Laat {Bol. Fomento [Costa 

 Rica], 3 {1913), No. 4, pp. 259-263, figs. 2; abs. in Rev. Appl. Ent., 1 {1913), Ser. 

 B, No. 9, p. 159). — The author describes the method employed in dipping ticky 

 cattle in Costa Rica, where the practice is said to be well established on a 

 large number of large estates. 



The tick problem in New South "Wales, M. Henry {Agr. Gaz. N. S. Wales, 

 24 {1913), No. 10, pp. 829-837). — A general discussion of the situation in New 

 South Wales. 



Abortion in sheep, J. McFadtean et al. (Rpt. Dept. Com. Bd. Agr. and 

 Fisheries [Gt. Brit.], Epizootic Abortion, 1913, pt. 3, pp. 12; App., pp. 33, pi. 1; 

 alts, in Vet. Rec, 26 {1913), No. 1329, p. 401). — This is the third and final report 

 of the committee appointed to inquire into epizootic abortion (E. S. R., 24, 

 p. 388). An appendix to the report, by J. McFadyean and S. Stockman, issued 

 as a separate publication, contains a detailed account of the experiments and 

 observations upon which the report is based. This report, which forms the first 

 account of a hitherto unrecognized disease, summarizes all that is known 

 regarding it. 



Though Bacillus abortus is known to be capable of producing abortion in 

 sheep it is not the common cause of the ovine disease in Great Britain, The 

 only specific form of ovine abortion which the committee met with is due to a 

 vibrionic organism. Descriptions are given of the morphological and cultural 

 characteristics of this organism which resembles the spirochete in appearance 

 though not in its cultural requirements. Experimentally this vibrio may cause 

 abortion in cows as well as in sheep and two naturally occurring outbreaks of 

 vibrionic abortion in cows were met with, one in Ireland and one in Wales. 



The alimentary tract appears to be the most common natural channel of in- 

 fection. Usually, for some time before abortion takes place, there is an in- 

 fective discharge from the vulva. The disease is enzootic rather than epizootic 

 in character, not spreading rapidly from farm to farm. " The symptoms are 

 not very distinctive — perhaps a sanious, mucoid vulvar discharge before abor- 

 tion is the most significant one. Usually abortion takes place at an advanced 

 period of pregnancy. Very often the fetus has died at a much earlier stage, 

 though lambs may be born alive from an infected uterus at or about full time. 

 Often both fetus and membranes are putrid when expelled, and metritis, which 

 may be fatal, is not a rare complication. At post-mortem, in the later stages, 

 the uterus shows edema and congestion, with an abundant exudate between 

 chorion and uterus. All the uterine contents — exudate, membranes, and fetus — 

 contain the vibrio, and are virulent. 



" The spread of the disease under natural conditions requires further in- 

 vestigation; but it is certain that an ewe may discharge vibrios from the 

 vagina, and thus be infective, long before showing any signs of impending 

 abortion. It is doubtful whether the ram has much or any importance as a 

 factor in contagion. There is also much still to be learned as to how long the 



