74 



Journal of Agricultural Research 



Vol. XX, No. i 



Table III. — Results of experiments with echinacea in the treatment of septicemia 



Experi- 

 ment 



No. 



5 

 (con- 

 trols) 



Guinea 

 pig No. 



Effect. 



Sick. 



.do. 

 .do. 



do. 

 .do. 



do. 

 .do. 

 .do. 

 .do. 

 .do. 

 .do. 

 .do. 

 .do. 



Termination. 



Died 



....do 



....do 



....do 



....do 



Recovered. 



Died 



....do 



do 



: do 



Recovered 



Died 



do 



Number 



of days 



sick. 



12 



3 



SUMMARY OF EXPERIMENTS WITH SEPTICEMIA 



"Specific Medicine Echinacea" and "Subculoyd Inula and Echinacea" 

 were used as protective and as remedial measures against septicemia 

 induced by Bacillus bovisepticus. The attempt was made to immunize 

 animals against septicemia by administration of the echinacea prepara- 

 tions several days before inoculation. In no case did it appear that 

 echinacea either increased the resistance of the organism to the infection 

 or served to modify it when given as a remedy. 



IV. — TESTS OF ECHINACEA AS A REMEDY FOR ANTHRAX 



The pathogenic material used to produce anthrax in the experimental 

 animals was a faintly cloudy suspension of Bacillus anthracis (48-hour-old 

 agar culture) in sterile normal salt solution. The remedial action of the 

 fluid extract only was investigated, and only five experimental animals 

 were used, the results of the experiment being so definite as not to 

 necessitate the sacrifice of any more animals. 



Experiment i. — echinacea administered per os 



Three pigs were given daily doses per os of 2 mils of fluid extract 

 echinacea diluted with 1.5 mils distilled water for 6 days. The total 

 protective dose was 3 mils, equal to 3 gm. of echinacea root. On the 

 eighth day the animals were given per os the same dose of echinacea and 

 immediately afterwards were inoculated with 0.4 mil of anthrax material 

 subcutaneously. On the following day they were given a second remedial 

 dose of echinacea. The total echinacea given was 4 mils of fluid extract. 

 All the animals became sick and all succumbed. No evidence was ob- 

 tained that echinacea has any influence upon the course of anthrax in 

 experimental animals. The autopsy was typical for anthrax; organisms 

 were demonstrated microscopically in the blood. 



