178 



used for disinfecting the hides of horses affected with glanders, as the 

 glanders bacillus is destroyed at 159° F. In testing this hot, compressed 

 air against bacteria, spore-producing bacteria difficult to kill, as well 

 as those easy to destroy, were experimented with, special attention 

 being given to staphylococci and typhus bacilli. Fresh, fully virulent 

 cultures were used and the exciting organism was kept infective by 

 frequent passages through animals. Sterilised silk threads were 

 dipped in the cultures and put up in sterile packages after being 

 completely or surface dried. The packets were placed in the pockets 

 of garments in the chamber. For the easily destroyed bacteria a 

 temperature of 159° F. was maintained for 30 minutes, or 177°, 195° 

 and 212° F. for 10 minutes. The more resistant micro-organisms were 

 exposed to 212°-257° F. for longer periods. It was found that after 

 the temperature has been raised to 159° F., this degree of heat, 

 maintained for 10 minutes, would destroy the less resistant bacteria, 

 while the other varieties, such as streptococci, typhus and paratvphus, 

 require 212° F. for 10 minutes. Staphylococci proved very resistant, 

 requiring 257° F. for 60 minutes ; even this did not affect anthrax. 



In the electrically heated apparatus to which the above data apply 

 the air is blo^vni over the heater near the chamber. Tests were also 

 made with a coal-heated model in which the air is drawn from the 

 heater placed further away. With this arrangement, in which direct 

 heat is not a factor, the differences in temperature within the chamber 

 were slight at first and then disappeared. In other respects the 

 results were practically the same as those given above. Anthrax 

 spores were killed after two hours' exposures to 257° F. 



In all cases the lower temperatures shown by the thermometer in 

 the bell of the exhaust pipe leading back to the blower are the measure 

 by which the efficiency of the treatment may be gauged. To attain 

 the best results care must be taken to pack the chamber as uniformly 

 as possible. As dry heat cannot act until all dampness has been 

 removed, the electrically heated model is fitted with a condenser and 

 suitable openings are provided in the exhaust pipe of the other model. 



Moussu (G.). Sur la Gale du Cheval. [On Horse Mange,] — Jl. d'Agric. 

 Pratique, Paris, xxx, no. 19, 20th September 1917, pp. 368-370. 



The author criticises the decree by which mange in horses is added 

 to the list of contagious animal diseases that are dealt with under the 

 law of 1898 [see this Review, Ser. B, v, p. 120]. He points out that the 

 military authorities have entrusted the care of the depots for sick 

 horses to cavalry or remount officers who are not technical experts, 

 with the result that mange has been disseminated throughout the 

 country, and the consequence has been the passing of this decree which 

 weighs most heavily on the agriculturist. Article 3 stipulates that 

 mangy horses must be kept apart and used only on the owner's 

 premises, which practically entails their isolation in a stable and thus 

 j)laces them under the worst possible conditions for their cure. Article 

 4, which forbids the disposal of any mangy or contaminated horses 

 otherwise than to the slaughter-house, precludes the possibility of 

 placing sick horses under conditions where many of them would be 

 rapidly cured, and the question arises as to what will happen to the 

 numbers of mangy horses in the army when the war is over ; the 



