lOlC) EXPERIMENT STATION IIKOORD. 



A study of dourine, J. UoiKiicT (Ucc Mrtl. 177., <S'. sir., 10 {1003), Xo. .?, pp. 

 Sl-!)0). — This article consists larjicly of a critical n^vicw of tliu results tlius far 

 obtained in a study of the symptoms, ])atholo<,'ical anatomy, and etiology of this 

 disease. 



The treatment of dourine by cacodylates, K. M.\RriiAi, (lice Mid. Vi't.,S. scr., 

 10 {1903), No. 7, pp. 230-^3S). — The author describes a mnidjerof exi)erinients made 

 in treating dourine by the salts of cacodylic acid. In the first experiments of the 

 author, cacodylate of iron was used in subcutaneous injections. Lesions were pro- 

 duced in the skin, however, and later this remedy was abandoned and cacodylate of 

 soda was used in its place. The latter remedy was injected subcutaneously in daily 

 doses of 1 gm. Notes are given on 6 cases in which this remedy was used, and excel- 

 lent results were obtained in all except 1 case in which the treatment was not begun 

 until 132 days after infection. 



Blackleg and vaccination, N. S. Mayo and C L. Barnes {A'aiisas SUi. Bui. 122, 

 2>j>. 16o-17S, figs. 6). — In the authors' experience blackleg is apparently confined to 

 cattle. Only 1 case was reported of its appearance in sheep and this was consid- 

 ered doubtful. Reports from 1,656 stock men indicate that the greatest losses from 

 blackleg occur in May, June, September, and October. While l)lackleg is generally 

 supjjosed to be transmissible by wound infection, the evidence thus far obtained does 

 not seem to favor this theory. The authors' experiments and observations on this 

 disease indicate that the greatest loss in cattle occurs between the ages of 6 to 18 

 months, and that fat calves are most suscej^tible. The average loss among unvacci- 

 nated calves is between 4 and 5 per cent, while after vaccination it is 0.4 per cent. 



The minute structure of the anthrax bacillus, D. Ottolenghi {Centbl. Bakt. 

 u. Par., 1. Aht., Grig., 35 {1904), No. 5, p]>. 546-553, figs. 5).— The author studied 

 the anthrax bacillus from material obtained by means of pure cultures and in the 

 blood or exudations of infected animals. The organism was stained by various 

 methods and subjected to different reagents for the purpose of differentiating its finer 

 structures. These structures are described in detail. According to experiments car- 

 ried out by the author it is possible to stain living anthrax l)acilli with neutral red 

 without destroying their germinating power. 



The period of life of anthrax spores, A. von Szekelev {Ztschr. Hijg. u. Jnfec- 

 tionskrank., 44 {1903), No. 3, pp. 359-363). — Notes are given on the results of an 

 examination of anthrax cultures which liad been kept in laboratories for long 

 periods. It was found that in gelatin media which had been inoculated with the 

 spores of anthrax bacilli and maintained at the temperature of a living room, exposed 

 to diffuse light and under conditions which favor moderately rapid desiccation viru- 

 lent spores were found after a period of 18^ years that were still capable of germinat- 

 ing and were virulent, at least for white mice. Under the same conditions the spores 

 of the bacillus of malignant edema also retained their vitality for the same length of 

 time. It was found also that the spores of these 2 species of bacilli could be main- 

 tained together in one culture for 18j years witliout either species of organism being 

 influenced to any noticeable degree. 



Preliminary note on the resistance to heat of Bacillus anthracis, A. Mal- 

 LOCK and A. M. Davies {Proc. Boy. Soc. ILondoii], 12 {1903), No. 4^6, pp. 493-499, 

 fig. 1). — The experiments reporte<l in this paper were undertaken for the jiurpose 

 of determining the degree of heat and period of exposure necessary for the destruc- 

 tion of anthrax bacilli and spores. A special apparatus was constructed for these 

 experiments, and a detailed description of the ap])aratus is given. The anthrax 

 bacilli used in these experiments were contained in infected water in sterilized glass 

 tubes 3 in. long and 2 in. in diameter. Care was taken that spores were present in 

 all cases. 



During the experiments 113 tests were made, of which 95 were at temperatures 

 above and 18 below 100° C. In the 95 experiments at temperatures above 100°, 14 



