26 HISTOEICAL NOTES ON BEE DISEASES. 



mary of his work on foul brood which appeared for the most part in 

 the papers by him which we have already reviewed. In atklition to 

 the work contained in his former papers he reports the results of his 

 experimental inoculation of healthy larvae with cultures of Bacillus 

 alvei. 



On page 24 of this bulletin it will be noted that Cheshire outlined 

 briefly the manner in which the inoculations would be made, and 

 stated furthermore that he could foresee the results. After obtaining 

 the results of his experimental inoculation, he writes as follows: 



It is needful before passing to the second head to anticipate one or two points to 

 which Mr. Watson Cheyne will especially refer. After very many cultivations con- 

 ducted in series by that gentleman, a small quantity of sterilized milk was inoculated 

 from the last tube. It behaved characteristically, as Mr. Cheyne will describe, the 

 flask emitting upon the drawing of the plug the unmistakable odour so distinctive of 

 the disease in the hive. Some of this milk I diffused through water and sprayed from 

 an atomizer over a healthy comb of larvae, part of which was protected by a cardboard 

 sheet into which four lozenge shapes had been cut. The larvae protected matured 

 in health; those exposed to the spray in many cases were removed by the bees, while 

 the rest died, their bodies filled with Bacillus alvei. This last experiment seems to 

 complete the chain of evidence in favour of "foul brood " not being accidentally asso- 

 ciated with this bacillus, but actually its result. 



If positive results can be obtained by experimental inoculation of 

 course such results furnish evidence which is of the greatest value in 

 the determination of the cause of the disease. Cheshire's experi- 

 ment, however, did not furnish such evidence. It will be noted that 

 Cheshire states that some of the larvae died with their bodies filled 

 with Bacillus alvei, and while he does not say positively that the 

 larvae died of foul brood, this idea is likely to be inferred by the next 

 statement that is made. Wliile these statements by Cheshire are 

 made with some degree of conservatism, they evidently have been 

 interpreted by many to mean that the disease was produced, and 

 this conception has led to a great deal of confusion in the minds of 

 bee keepers concerning the cause of foul brood. Cheshire states that 

 Cheyne will especially refer to the experimental inoculation of healthy 

 brood which he only anticipates in his part of the paper. In con- 

 sidering Cheyne's contribution it will be seen in what way he disposes 

 of this very important phase of the investigation. 



This completes the consideration of the papers by Cheshire as far 

 as we purpose to deal with them at present. Before taking up the 

 investigations of Cheyne on Bacillus alvei it may be well to summarize 

 Cheshire's papers on foul brood. 



1. Having accepted an invitation from the British Bee Keepers' 

 Association to give an address upon foul brood, Cheshire began to 

 study the disease about the last of May, 1884, although he mentions 

 having examined, microscopically, larvae dead of the disease some 

 years before. 



