15 



the disease does not occur, are the most affected. Serbian cattle 

 imported for the troops became infected about 30 days after their 

 arrival and some died in a few days ; in no case did the native animals, 

 among which they had been placed, suffer in any way. Piroplasmosis 

 did not, however, occur in imported animals which were kept segregated 

 from native animals, in localities free from ticks. Animals from 

 Tunisia, Sardinia and south Italy, under the same local conditions, 

 only contracted the disease in a mild form. Young animals are more 

 susceptible than old ones and females more than males. The epizootic 

 began in spring and reached its maximum in July — the time of year 

 when ticks are most abundant. The losses were considerable, as most 

 of the infected animals died. Among the Serbian cattle, the disease 

 affected about 100 per cent, of the animals and resulted in a mortality 

 of about 90 per cent. The parasites concerned are described, viz : — 

 (1) Theileria parva vel Piro])lasnia parvum vel P. bacilUforme, the agent 

 of Rhodesian fever or African Coast fever, which is considered 

 identical with the one studied by the author in Eritrea ; (2) 

 Piroplasma annulatum ' vel P. tropicum, the agent of tropical 

 piroplasmosis or Transcaucasian piroplasmosis. The disease is 

 transmitted by a tick, which is almost certainly Hyalomma 

 aegyptium, the only Ixodid commonly met with on the Libyan 

 coast, where it also infests horses, mules, donkeys and camels ; 

 on these animals, as on cattle, it is found only in the adult stage. 

 The larval and nymphal stages are passed, according to some authors, 

 on wild animals, probably on a squirrel, Funambnlus palmanim 

 and on a hare, Lepus nigricollis. As two species of parasite are 

 associated in causing the disease, H. aegyjotiimi must, for the present, 

 be held to transmit both of them, as no other tick Avas observed. 

 Experimental transmission by means of infected blood was the subject 

 of many tests and, among other results, they confirmed the fact that 

 both the micro-organisms in question are simultaneously concerned 

 in the disease. The restriction of imports to those breeds of cattle 

 which are least susceptible is one of the preventive measures advised, 

 while others aim at isolation from sources of tick-infestation. 



EoDHAiN (J.) & HoussiAu (J.). Dermatite vesiculeuse saisonniere 

 produite par un coleoptere. [A seasonal vesicular dermatitis 

 caused by a beetle.] — Bull. Soc. Path. Exot., Paris, viii, no. 8, 

 13th October 1915, pp. 587-591, 1 fig., 1 plate. 



In April and May 1915, an epidemic of vesicular dermatitis occurred 

 at Leopoldville, Belgian Congo. It was caused by the irritant 

 secretions of a small Staphylinid beetle, but was rapid and benign in 

 character and yielded to treatment with zinc ointment. Natives 

 appeared to be less attacked than Europeans. It is also stated that, 

 according to Da Silva, Paederus columbinus, Lap., which is common in 

 Brazil, causes an acute dermatitis in that country. 



In the discussion on this paper, M. Roubaud stated that similar 

 symptoms are produced in Tropical Africa by various Cantharid 

 beetles, including Cantharis flavicornis, Duf., and C. vestita Duf., in 

 Senegal. 



