VETERINARY MEDICINE. 577 



given on the iiuniber of cattle, sheep, calves, pigs, ami jroats slau^'hteictl for 

 food duriiifi the year 10(M»-7, tofiether with a statement of the nnmber of animals 

 and parts condemned and the cans(>s of condenuintion. 



Public abattoirs a necessity to eradicate consumption, etc., W, IIoldeb 

 (Jf.iir. Hoy. Inst. I'uh. UvaltU, 16 (IHOS), Xo. 3, pp. /0"6-/77 ).— Attention is 

 called to the fn-quency with which meat hisi)ectors detect cases of anthrax, 

 cysticerci, trichina, tuberculosis, and other diseases of animal parasites which 

 may be transmitted to man. Meat inspectors are, therefore, considered as per- 

 formiuis: an imjtortant function in the protection of human health. It is recom- 

 mended that laws should be passed requiring the erection and use of public 

 abattoirs in every town and village. 



The cat: A neg-lected factor in sanitary science, Caroline A. Osborne 

 {PciUig. KriiiiiKiri/, I.) {I'.XH), Xo. .), pp. 'i3'.)-'i-')9) . — On account of the intimate 

 asstx'iation of the cat with other species of domestic animals and with man, and 

 particularly children, it has seemed advisable to study the possibly important 

 agency of the cat in the intertransmission of infectious diseases. 



According to the results obtained by various investigators cats are susceptible 

 to the majority of infec-tious diseases which attack man and animals. Even if 

 the cat does not become infected with the disease it is still possible for this 

 animal to transmit the. disease upon its fur. Notes are given on the evidence 

 thus far obtained connecting cats with the transmission of mange, diphtheria, 

 scarlet fever, tuberculosis, smallpox, authra'x, malignant edema, ringworm, and 

 a great variety of external and internal animal parasites. The author con- 

 chides that cats should be kept away from all sources of infection in order to 

 prevent the unnecessary spread of infectious diseases. 



The relation of the soil to certain diseases, Ludkwig {Ztsclir. Vctrrinark., 

 20 ( HWS), Xo. 3, pp. WSi-Ui). — According to the universal experience of veter- 

 inarians the soil is concerned in the transmission of such diseases as anthrax, 

 blackleg, hemorrhagic septicemia, and swine er.vsipelas. Attention is called 

 to the importance of preventing the excessive contamination of soil with the 

 virus of these diseases, for after the soil has once become contamin.ited it is a 

 difficult matter to disinfect it. 



A theory of natural immunity of living tissue, F. Holzinger (Miinchen. 

 Mrd. WcliHi<clir., JJ ( l!)Os), Xo. 12, pp. (!01, (i<)2). — In the oi>inion of the author 

 living tissue at times is immune for the reason that the osmotic process in it 

 hinders the develoimient of micro-organisms. A considerable diminution in 

 this activit.v is neces.sary before the micro-organisms can develop .iiid jiroduce 

 a general infection. 



Hemolysis and antihemoglobin, O. Demees (Cellule, 2.'i (,1907), No. 2, pp. 

 iJ I '!■')(!). —'llu' experiments reiK)rted by the author were carried out on rabbits. 

 It appears possible to obtain sera which contain antihemoglobin but are not 

 hemolytic. Antihemoglobin and hemolysin are therefore distinct. Uninjured 

 red blofMl cori>URcles.do not fix antihemoglobin and this substance has no effect 

 UIK)n the hemoglobin contained In the intai-t corpuscle. 



Experiments with Bacterium anthracis, anthrax vaccines, and hyper- 

 immunization. II. J. Mii.KS { Loiiixiitna Slas. liiil. lOU, pp. 3-2 J). — As the result 

 of experiments made in growing the anthrax bacillus upon different media 

 liable to be found in pastures it is concluded that the organism will grow in low 

 Hwampy places and even in any place where sutlicient moisture is present. It 

 Is thought this may possibly explain its prevalence in certain years. Several 

 experiments with guinea |)igs, mice, rabbit.s, and sheeit, made to determine the 

 virulence of different commercial anthrax vaccines, resulted in the tinding of a 

 large variation. 



