VETERINARY MEDICIXE. 279 



offered at the various veterinaiy colleges iu this country and Canada. Nineteen 

 veterinary colleges were inspected. Recommendations are made as to the ma- 

 triculation examination and course of instruction necessaiy to qualify graduates 

 for admission to the civil service examination for the position of veterinarj- 

 inspector in the Bureau of Animal Industry. 



Proceedings of the zootechnic council, G. Gobio (Ann. Agr. [Italy], 1901, 

 So. .2o3. ,111. 'f'h'f)' — -^ complete account is given of the proceedings of the coimcil 

 appointed by the King of Italy for the improvement of domesticated animals iu 

 that country. At the various meetings of this council discussions were held 

 regarding the methods of improving cattle, sheep, and the other domesticated 

 animals of Italy. 



The practice of immunization, O. Schbeibeb (Dciit. Tirriirztl. Wchnschr., 

 Jo (lyOU), \o. ^9, pp. 6S9-S91). — With the discovery of the possibility of im- 

 munization by means of blood serum a great amount of interest was awakened 

 on this subject and numerous experiments have been carrial on by various 

 investigators. Preliminary results announced in the treatment of animal dis- 

 eases by means of blood serum have frequently led to disappointment. The 

 author calls attention to the necessity of further work, particularly in the 

 study of the antagonistic action between the sera of different animals. 



The theory of serum activity, O. Bail and E. Hoke {Arch. Hyg., 6-J (1908), 

 .Vo. Ji, pp. SlS-Ji26). — The purpose of the investigations which are reported in 

 this paper and which were continued for a period of 2 years was to determine 

 the nature and the action of serum on bacteria. The authors come to the con- 

 clusion that the precipitating and bacteriolytic action of serum are one and the 

 same, for the reason that both of these proi)eities are lost by heat. Ordinary 

 sera retain their precipitating power at slightly higher temperatures than their 

 bacteriolytic power. The difference, however, is simply one of degree. Both of 

 these properties are destroyed by treating the serum with cultures of living 

 vibrio or with extracts from cultures of cholera vibrio. 



Is acquired immunity inherited? D. Konbadi {Centhl. Bait, [etc.], 1. Aht., 

 Orig.. 46 (1908), Xos. 1. pp. 41-4S; 2, pp. 139-148). — The author tested the 

 possibility of hereditary immimity in dogs which were vaccinated for rabies. 

 It was found that both the mother and the developing young became immune 

 simultaneously, but that the immunity in the young animals after birth persisted 

 for a longer time than in the mother. The vaccine is in such cases probably 

 transmitted to the young through the placenta rather than through the milk 

 after birth. When the mother dog was immimized some time before becoming 

 pregnant some of the young showed an immunity to rabies while others did not. 

 The prevention and eradication of stock diseases in South Africa, A. 

 Theileb (Transvaal Agr. Jour., 6 {1908), Xo. .22, pp. 217-233. pi. J). — A his- 

 torical statement is given regarding the introduction of animal plagues into 

 South Africa. The first to appear in epizootic form were contagious pleuro- 

 pneumonia, rinderpest. Texas fever, and East Coast fever. These are still the 

 most important diseases among cattle. Glanders is widely prevalent among 

 horses and mules. Animal industry in South Africa is particularly atBicted 

 with diseases due to animal parasites. In the eradication of piroplasmoses it 

 is possible to proceed either by way of destroying the ticks which carry these 

 diseases or by immunization of all susceptible animals. The destruction of ticks 

 is of no avail unless the work is organizeil on an extensive plan in which all 

 stockmen affected cooperate. 



Carbolic acid in the treatment of bacterial diseases, J. W. Pollock {Tet. 

 Rec, 20 {1908), Xo. 1023, pp. 611, 612). — Satisfactory results are reported from 

 the internal use of carbolic acid in cases of tetanus, septicemia, contagious 

 abortion, cattle plague, and septic conditions of the stomach in cattle and dogs. 



