184 SIR .ARNOLD THEILER 



the toxin, and attempts to separate the toxin from the 

 bacterial culture were successful. The question then 

 arose as to whether the toxin was produced by only one 

 of the three germs or by two or three in combination. 

 Experiments proved that the culture of each one of the 

 three used separately was not poisonous, but that in a 

 culture containing a mixture of the racket shape and the 

 drumstick shape or of all three organisms a powerful 

 toxin was generated. 



These germs are not found in all parts of the country 

 nor even in all farms in districts affected with Lamziekte. 

 Decomposed carcasses and bones will therefore not be 

 poisonous on all farms, but only on those farms where 

 the germs in question are present. This explains the 

 reason why Lamziekte may be raging on one farm and 

 may not appear on the adjoining one. Naturally such a 

 farm may also become infected in time ; the bacteria may 

 be carried by animals, and it is even possible that the 

 wind may blow the germs or their spores from one farm 

 to another. The period during which the germs may 

 remain alive in the soil has not been determined yet. The 

 germs themselves are harmless. It is only after they 

 have gained access to a suitable medium that they are 

 able to grow, multiply and produce a toxin. In other 

 words there will never be a case of Lamziekte, // the 

 farmer onlj/ sees to it that there are no eareasses or hones 

 lying about in ichich the germs can produce the toxin. 



With this toxin, Lamziekte can be artificially repro- 

 duced in cattle; it is so virulent that 1/lOOOth ])art of a 

 cubic centimetre per kilogram of live weight is sufficient 

 to cause death, a few drops injected underneath the skin 

 or about half a teaspoonful given through the mouth is 

 fatal. It is interesting to note that it is possible to 

 reproduce artificially in cattle the different forms of Lam- 

 ziekte that exist in nature. In the chronic form of the 

 disease the animals linger for weeks before dying or may 

 even finally recover; this condition may be induced by 



