Jd 
MUSCARDINE. 
The first of these, the muscardine, has been more or less destructive 
in Europe for many years. Itisof precisely the same nature as the fun- 
gus (Hmpusa musce), which so frequently kills the common house-fly, 
and which sheds a halo of spores, readily seen upon the window-pane, 
around its victim. 
A worm about to die of this disease becomes languid, and the pul- 
sations of the dorsal vessel or heart become insensible. It suddenly 
dies, and in a few hours becomes stiff, rigid, and discolored ; and finally 
in about a day, a white powder or efflorescence manifests itself, and 
soon entirely covers the body, developing most rapidly in a warm, hu- 
mid atmosphere. No outward signs indicate the first stage of the dis- 
ease, and though it attacks worms of all ages, it is by far the most fatal 
in the fifth or last age or stage, just before the transformation. 
‘This disease was proved by Bassi to be due to the development of 
a fungus (Botrytis bassiana) in the body of the worm. It is certainly 
infectious, the spores, when they come in contact with the body of the 
worm, germinating and sending forth filaments which penetrate the 
skin, and, upon reaching the internal parts, give off minute floating 
corpuscles which eventually spore in the efflorescent manner described. 
Yet, most silk-worm raisers, including such good authorities as F. B. 
Guérin-Méneville and EKugéne Robert,* who at first implicitly believed 
in the fungus origin of this disease, now consider that the Botrytis is 
only the ultimate symptom—the termination of it. At the same time 
they freely admit that the disease may be contracted by the Botrytis 
spores coming in contact with worms predisposed by unfavorable con- 
ditions to their influence. Such a view implies the contradictory belief 
that the disease may or may not be the result of the fungus, and those 
who consider the fungus as the sole cause certainly have the advantage 
of consistency. Dr. W.B. Carpenter, an eminent microscopist, believes 
in the fungus origin of the disease, and thinks it entirely caused by 
floating spores being carried in at the spiracles or breathing orifices of 
the worm, and germinating in the interior of the body. 
Whichever view be held, it appears very clear that no remedies are 
known, but that care in procuring good eggs, care in rearing the worms, 
good leaves, pure, even-temperatured atmosphere, and cleanliness are 
checks to the disease. 
As the sole means of disseminating the disease are the spores which 
only appear several hours after the death of the worm, the most ra- 
tional means of preventing the spread of muscardine is by carefully 
taking from the tables all dead worms as soon as they are discovered, 
and if the disease seems to have gained a foothold in the magnanerie 
it will be well to remove the litter oftener and give the worms more 
*Guide a Véleveur de versa soie. 
16136—No. 9——3 
