284 EXPEEIMENT STATION EECORD. 



this disease in which it is shown to be spread over many countries of Europe 

 and North America, accounts are given of the pathological alterations, symp- 

 toms and course of the disease, and experimental Investigations personally con- 

 ducted. 



Medicinal treatment seems to have only a transitory influence, although on 

 account of the spontaneous recovery that often occurs, it is difficult to judge its 

 value. The author has been uuable to cultivate the bacilli that cause the dis- 

 ease and inoculation experiments on small animals as a rule proved unsuccess- 

 ful. Whether the disease is spread from animal to animal through contamina- 

 tion of the food by the bacilli in the excrements, or whether it can likewise be 

 caused by saprophytic bacilli, was not decided. The importance of the discov- 

 ery by the author's cooperator, O. Bang, of an apparently trustworthy diagnos- 

 tic agent in tuberculin prepared from avian tubercle bacilli (E. S. R., 22, p. 287) 

 is emphasized. 



The sterility of cows and its relation to the infectious diseases of the 

 genital org'ans, Albrechtsen and E. Hess (Trans. IX. Internat. Vet. Cong. 

 The Hague, 1 {1909), S. G. X, 1, pp. 14-16; 3, jrp. 18; ahs. in Berlin. Tierdrztl. 

 Wchnschr., 26 {1910), No. 39, p. 760). — ^A discussion in regard to the causes 

 of sterility in cattle. 



Dropsy of the amniotic sac in cattle, Joachim {Mitt. Ver. Bad. Tierdrztc, 

 9 {1909), No. 6, pp. 90-93; al)s. in Berlin. Tierdrztl. Wclmschr., 26 {1910), No. 

 29, p. 583). — A description of 4 cases, in 3 of which it was necessary to slaugh- 

 ter the animals despite the fact that artificial abortion was produced. The 

 fourth animal survived. 



Combating' hog cholera and swine plague by the veterinary police, M. 

 Dorset, F. Hutyra, R. Ostertag, and S. Stockmann {Trans. IX. Internat. Vet. 

 Cong. The Hague, 1 {1909), 8. G. 1, 1, pp. 11; 2, pp. 22; 3, pp. 17; J,, pp. IJ, ; ahs. 

 in Berlin. Tierdrztl. Wchnschr., 26 {1910), No. 37, pp. 727-729).— These papers 

 have particular reference to preventing hog cholera and swine plague in the 

 light of the newer researches. 



About Krafft's vaccine: A reply, K. Poppe {Berlin. Tierdrztl. Wchnschr,, 

 26 {1910), No. 3Jt, pp. 667, 668).— On the basis of his new researches (E. S. R., 

 23, p. 486), the author insists that Krafft's vaccine against swine plague with 

 rabbits and guinea pigs does not furnish a protection against Bacillus suisep- 

 ticus. 



Meningo-encephalitis (blind staggers), T. P. Haslam {Kansas Sta. Bui. 

 173, pp. 235-251). — This disease, commonly known as staggers, blind staggers, 

 sleepy staggers, and mad staggers, has occurred in outbreaks of greater or less 

 severity in many sections of the United States, particularly in Kansas, Texas, 

 Louisiana, North Carolina, Delaware, and Arkansas. 



A severe outbreak of the disease in Kansas was investigated at the station in 

 1891 by Mayo, who attributed it to Aspergillus glaucus, which had badly dam- 

 aged the small crop of corn grown that year because of dry weather. In 1902 

 and 1906 there were severe outbreaks in various portions of the State. There 

 has also seemed to be a continual loss of horses from staggers in any locality in 

 which much corn of an inferior grade is fed. 



In investigations made during the outbreak In 1906, the author failed to find 

 A. glaucus present but discovered 3 molds, Mucor rhizopodoformis, Rhizopus 

 nigricans, and Fusarium sp. The details of the investigation, since continued 

 by the author and Dr. P. J. Meenen, are reported. The conclusions drawn are 

 as follows : 



" Feeding horses upon immature corn badly infected with molds and worm 

 dirt, with its accompanying bacteria, produces typical cases of staggers. The 

 extract of such corn is rapidly fatal to rabbits, A. flavus, A. niger, and R. 



