10 



Stedefeder ( — ). Der Bremsenschwindel der Schafe {Oestrus ovis)^ 

 [Sheep staggers {Oestrus ovis).] — Berliner Tierdrztl. Wochenschr., 

 Berlin, xxxi, no. 46, 18th November 1915, pp. 541-544, 3 figs. 

 In 1860 there were 28 million sheep in Germany ; these decreased 

 to rather more than five million in 1913, in which year the total wool 

 imports amounted to £21,750,000. Owing to the restriction of imports 

 due to the war, the prevalence of sheep staggers, which was particularly 

 noticeable in 1915, is a serious matter. Oestrid larvae were present 

 in some mild cases of staggers which took the form of a catarrh and 

 ended with the expulsion of the larvae. In some other cases, in which 

 a severe meningitis was present as well as a catarrh, no larvae were 

 found in the brain capsule, though bacteria were abundant. The 

 meningitis must be therefore considered to be due to bacteria and not 

 to Oestrid larv^ae, which have hitherto been thought to be the causal 

 agents. A bibliography of six works is given. 



Bekampfung der Lause in Pferdebestanden : Merkblatt ftir die 

 preussische Armee. [Combating lice in horse lines : Instruction 

 sheet for the Prussian army.] — Berliner Tierdrtzl. Wochenschr., 

 Berlin, xxxi, no. 46, 18th November 1915, p. 547 

 The following preparations have proved successful in killing lice 

 on horses : — (1) Grey mercury ointment, not more than 150 grains at 

 each application, may be rubbed in either alone or mixed with oil or 

 soft soap ; it must be brushed over the whole body with the horse- 

 brush, care being taken near the eyes ; (2) an infusion of tobacca 

 (1 to 25 or 30) with or without the addition of vinegar — this is 

 poisonous ; (3) a mixture of 1 part petroleum to 10 of methylated 

 spirit or equal parts of petroleum and rape-seed oil ; (4) a 2 to 3 per 

 cent, solution of creolin in water or a 3 per cent, solution of liquor 

 kresoli saponatus ; both these solutions must be brushed in ; (5) 

 Sabadilla vinegar, 1 : 20 — this is poisonous and should be well rubbed 

 in at strongly infested spots only; (6) fish oil may be used in the 

 same way as (5) ; (7) in case of need the horse may be washed with 

 soapy water and while the coat is still damp, finely sifted beech ashes 

 or peat ashes may be dusted on and well brushed in. To prevent the 

 eggs from hatching, infested spots should be repeatedly washed with 

 vinegar, which will dissolve the egg-shells. All the above are sufficient 

 to kill the lice, but in obstinate cases, arsenicals may be resorted to. 

 In any case, success depends on repeated applications, at five-day 

 intervals. Where the horse lines are permanent, the exercise of 

 cleanliness in every direction will contribute to a satisfactory result. 



Taylor (F. H.). Half-yearly Reports from 1st July to 31st December 



1914 and from 1st January to 30th June 1915. — Aus-tralian Institute 



of Trojncal Medicine, Townsville, Queensland, 10 and 11 pp. 



[Received 27th October 1915.] 



As the result of an expedition to the northern ports of Queensland, 



the expenses of which were met by a grant of £100 from the Quarantine 



Department, with the object of mapping the distribution of Stegomyia 



fasciata, F., it was found that this mosquito occurs in all the ports of 



North Queensland, especially Normanton and Thursday Island. 



A new species of Culex was found in Normanton and the distribution 



of several known forms considerably extended. Aedes {Skusea) 



