44 THE BACTERIA OF THE APIARY. 



reioorted it to be a neAv disease and called it " New York bee disease " 

 or '' black brood.-' He described as its cause a species of bacteria 

 which he called Bacillus 7nillii (31). 



Ill our investigations of this diseased condition, which have covered 

 five 3^ears, we have not found an organism corresponding to Bacillus 

 millii in any of the specimens that we have received ; but we have 

 found Bacillus alvei, the supposed cause of foul brood, to be present 

 constantly in samples of brood which the bee experts of New York 

 State say are samples of the same diseased condition as that received 

 by Howard. 



From this Ave conclude that the diseased brood that has received 

 the name of " New York bee disease " or " black brood " is really 

 genuine European foul brood. 



PALSY OR PARALYSIS. 



The disease) known to the apiarists as palsy or paralysis attacks 

 the adult bees. The name is suggestive of the SA-mptoms manifested 

 by the diseased bees. A number of bees affected were received from 

 Messrs. W. D. Wright and Charles Stewart, taken from apiaries in 

 New York State. In 1903 bacteriological examinations were made of 

 a number of bees so affected. Several species of bacteria were isolated 

 and some experimental inoculations made, but no conclusions could be 

 drawn from the results obtained as to the cause of the disorder. 



From a study of the normal flora of the bee it was soon found 

 that we had here quite a number of species of bacteria present. 

 This fact stimulated a study of the normal flora, the results of which 

 are recorded in Part I. From this point the work can be carried 

 on with the hope that, if the disease has a bacterium as an etiological 

 factor, it may be found. It is believed by some bee keepers that 

 Bacillus gaytoni of Cheshire is the cause of paralysis, but this is not 

 claimed by Cheshire, and the belief is not grounded on bacteriological 

 findings. 



SUMMARY TO PART II. 



Following is a brief summary of the results of the j^resent investi- 

 gation of bee diseases : 



(1) There are a number of diseased conditions which affect the 

 apiary. 



(2) The disease which seems to cause the most rapid loss to the 

 apiarist is European foul brood, in which is found Bacillus alvei — 

 first isolated, studied, and named by Cheshire and Cheyne in 1885. 



(3) The distribution of Bacillus alvei in the infected hive is as 

 follows : 



{a) The greatest number of infecting germs are found in the 

 bodies of dead larvae. 



{h) The pollen stored in the cells of the foul-brood combs contains 

 many of these infecting organisms. 



