VETERINARY MEDICINE. 281 



tions analogous to those met with in locoed animals occur in other portions of 

 the world, especially Australia. 



Experiments with rabbits and sheep were carried on. It was found that the 

 main symptoms described in stock on the range can be reproduced in rabbits by 

 feeding extracts from the loco plants Astragalus DwUissinuis and Aragallus 

 lanibcrti. Inorganic constituents, especially barium, are held to be responsible 

 for this action, at least in the plants collected at Hugo, Colo., though it is sug- 

 gested that in other portions of the country other poisonous principles may yet 

 be found. Barium acetate was fed to rabbits, the results indicating that small 

 doses of barium salts may be administered to rabbits without apparent effect, 

 but that suddenly acute symptoms set in analogous to what is reported on the 

 range. 



" Loco ])lants grown on certain soils are inactive pharmacologically and con- 

 tain no barium. In drying certain loco plants the barium apparently is rendered 

 insoluble so that it is not extracted by water, but can usually be extracted by 

 digestion with the digestive ferments. The barium to be harmful must be in 

 such a form as to be dissolved out by digestion. 



"In. deciding whether plants are poisonous it is desirable not merely to test 

 the aqueous or alcoholic extract, but also the extracts obtained by digesting 

 these plants with the ferments which occur in the gastro-intestinal tract. 



'• It is important that the ash of plants, especially those grown on unculti- 

 vated soil, as on our unirrigated plains, be examined for various metals, using 

 methods similar to those by which rocks are now analyzed in the laboratory 

 of the United States Geological Survey. 



" It is desirable to study various obscure chronic conditions, such as lathyrism, 

 with a view to determine the inorganic con.stituents of lathyrus and other 

 families of plants." 



At present it seems best to rely on preventive measures rather than on anti- 

 dotal treatment. 



The diagnosis of rabies, Anna W. Williams (Amcr. Jour. Pub. Hug., 18 

 (1908), Ao. i, pp. 10-1')). — The smear method for the diagnosis of rabies was 

 used in 487 cases, of which 260 were obtained from the street and 227 were ex- 

 perimental. Of the 260 street cases 185 showed typical Negri bodies. In the 

 laboratorj' work carried on by the author no brains were virulent in Avhich 

 Negri bodies could not be discovered. Other investigators, however, have re- 

 ported the determination of virulence in nerve material not showing Negri 

 bodies and it therefore appears to be still necessary to make animal inocula- 

 tions in order to be sure of the diagnosis. 



The histological diagnosis of rabies, V. Babes [Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol. 

 [Paris], G-'f (1908), No. 6, pp. 284-286). — In 'diagnosing rabies in dead dogs the 

 author prefers to examine the medulla rather than the hippocampus, for the 

 reason that the former is more easily dissected out. Rabid lesions are more 

 easily recognized than Negri corpuscles and the author prefers to depend upon 

 the former in making a rapid diagnosis of the disease." 



Penetration of the toxin and antitoxin of tetanus through the mucous 

 membrane of the large intestine, M. Breton, G. Petit, and H. Vincent 

 {Compt. lieiiil. tioc. Biol. [Paris], (I'f (1908), No. .',, pp. 160-163).— It was found 

 that tetanus toxin is so modified or destroyed in large part by the bacterial 

 floi-a of the rectum that only a minute quantity passes through the mucous 

 membrane of this organ. On the other hand, the antitoxin of tetanus readily 

 penetrates through the mucous membrane of the large intestine. It is also 

 maintained that the intestinal juices are decidedly antitoxic in their effect 

 upon tetanus toxin. 



