180 SIR ARNOLD THEILER 



Lfunziel-tr in CailJr. 



By Sir Arnold Thliler, K.C.M.G., 

 Director of Education and Veterinary Research. 



(Summary of Public lecture delivered under the auspices 

 of the South African Biological Society. Pretoria, 

 24th. August, 11)20.) 



The researches into the cause and cure of Laniziekte in 

 cattle were started some ten years ago, but very little 

 real progress was made until 1914, when the Government 

 realised the necessity of buying a Laniziekte farm in 

 Bechuanaland where experiments could be carried out on 

 an extensive scale. Since then the work has g(me steadily 

 forward, and has finally been crowned with success. 

 Workers in different branches of science have contributed 

 to this result, and amongst those who have been my 

 colleagues in this work I may mention Prof. P. R. 

 Viljoen, Dr. H. H. Green, Mr. D. T. Mitchell, Dr. P. J. du 

 Toit, Dr. H. Meier, Mr. T. Meyer, aud the staff of the 

 Division of Botany under Dr. I. B. Pole Evans. It might 

 have been supposed that the investigatioii of such a 

 disease as laniziekte would only have been of interest to 

 the Veterinarian, but all the biological sciences includ- 

 ing bacteriology, chemistry, botany and entomology have 

 contributed to the solution of the problem. 



The symi)toms of this disease are familiar to all far- 

 mers in Bechuanaland and other parts of the country 

 where it is prevalent. The local name "laniziekte" is 

 very appropriate, since affected animals are always 

 partially or comj)letely })aralysed; in the eaily stages 

 of the disease they attempt to rise but are unable to do 

 so as the hind(iuarlers Ix^come totally ])aralysed. The 

 disease known as stijfziekte is similar in some respects 



