BOTULISM IN CATTLE 83 



SUMMARY 



1. An anaerobic bacillus biologically resembling B. botulinus 

 (type B) was isolated from a corn silage (126). 



2. Several (18) cattle of the herd consuming the silage in 

 question developed symptoms of forage poisoning on two dif- 

 ferent occasions and four animals died. It is possible that 

 botulinus toxin in the ensilage was primarily related to the 

 disease in question. 



3. The silage was regarded as unsafe for cattle and after dis- 

 continuing its use in the daily rations, the animals remained 

 healthy. 



4. Botulinus antitoxin (type B) proved efficacious in pro- 

 tecting guinea-pigs against lethal doses of toxin in unfiltered 

 broth cultures produced by the anaerobic bacillus isolated from 

 the corn silage (126). 



5. An opportunity was afforded to inject forty-three cattle 

 on this farm with botulinus antitoxin, and subsequently to feed 

 them with the silage. The animals remained apparently healthy. 

 One control or untreated animal did not show visible illness and 

 the value of the antitoxin in the feeding operations is therefore 

 not conclusive. It is worthy of record that the treatment did 

 not injure the animals and encouragement is offered for more 

 extensive field trials in determining the value of the antitoxin in 

 cattle against the ill effects of otherwise nourishing rations 

 containing B. botulinus toxin which heretofore has advisedly 

 been discarded. The latter item is of importance considering 

 the increased cost of producing grain and forage. 



REFERENCES 



Burke, G. S. 1919 Notes on Bacillus botulinus. Jour. Bact., 4, 555. 



1919 The occurrence of Bacillus botulinus in nature. Jour. Bact., 



4, 541. 

 Graham, Robert, Brueckner, A. L., and Pontius, R. L. 1917 Studies in 



forage poisoning, V and VI. Bulletin 207-208, Kentucky Agricultural 



Experiment Station. 

 Graham, Robert, and Brueckner, A. L. 1919 Studies in forage poisoning. 



Jour. Bact., 4, 1. 

 Rusk, H. P., and Grindley, H. S. 1918 Field investigations of forage 



poisoning in cattle and horses. Bulletin 210, Illinois Agricultural 



Experiment Station. 



