no 



in the Argentine provinces of Corrientes, Santiago del Estero, and 

 Catamarca. The disease is most prevalent in marshy districts and 

 during the rains. Mules and donkeys, especially the latter, are more 

 resistant than horses, and the disease can be conveyed to many other 

 animals by inoculation. The first symptom of the disease in horses 

 and mules is a watery discharge from the corner of the eyes, followed 

 by ecchymosis of the mucous membranes, chiefly those of the mem- 

 hrana nictitans, which becomes of a claret colour. To observe these 

 changes the lids of the eye must be everted. Other symptoms are : — 

 Irregular fever, which only lasts for short periods during which try- 

 pansomes can usually be found if smears of blood are taken ; haema- 

 turia, though no organisms are present in the urine, with swelling of the 

 penis ; eruptions and loss of hair on the neck and shoulders, followed 

 by paralysis of the hind quarters in the later stages. The disease is 

 nearly always fatal to horses, and lasts from 2 to 5 months in the horse 

 and 6 to 12 in mules and asses. Mai de caderas can be very easily 

 inoculated and traces of the virus placed on the surface of a wound 

 (as in transmission by the house-fly) are sufficient to cause infection. 

 Copulation does not give rise to infection. Nearly all observers consider 

 that the disease is conveyed by biting flies, but this is not altogether 

 in agreement with the recorded facts. The author believes Stomoxys 

 calcitrans to be the chief cause of the spread of the present epidemic 

 in Guiana. The only fact upon which all observers are agreed is that 

 the capybara {Hydrochoerus capybara) or Caprincho, abounding in 

 Paraguay and the Argentine portion of the Chaco, is the source from 

 which the flies or other carriers obtain the virus. When the farmers 

 of Paraguay find dead capybara on their farms, they know that mal de 

 caderas will soon break out among the horses. To prevent infection, 

 all animals should be dressed with the following solution : Kerosene 

 1 gal., water 2 gals., soap (soft or hard) 1 lb. Dissolve the soap in the 

 water and add the kerosene with continual stirring whilst the water is 

 boiling ; when cool, brush into the coat of the animal with a body or 

 dandy brush. A great variety of drugs, including salvarsan, have been 

 tried, but none have produced more than temporary improvement. 

 Before affected animals have come very low in condition, the author 

 has obtained good results by the administration, morning and night, 

 of a mixture of potassium iodide and mercury biniodide. The animals 

 must not be worked when under treatment. 



In the same issue of the journal, pp. 132-138, there appear a number 

 of notes on mal de caderas, extracted from the Experiment Station 

 Record of the United States Department of Agriculture for the years 

 1902-1913. These notes cover all the published experimental work 

 on this disease during the period in question. 



Macfaelane (H.). Report on work (other than routine work) done 

 in the Bacteriological Institute during the six months, 1st July to 

 31st December, 1913. — Bacteriological Institute, Hongkong, 28th 

 Jan. 1914. 



Up to date, 4,171 different samples of larvae have been collected, 

 and from these samples 12,763 mosquitos have been bred and pinned. 

 After a provisional classification, 5,736 of these specimens have been 

 forwarded to the Director of the Imperial Bureau of Entomology and 



