BY T. HARVEY JOHNSTON, M.A.. D.SC. 209 



reported occurrence of nodules in other situations, such as 

 " on the inner side of the thigh, in the groin and even 

 throughout the body," but they are " strongly inclined to 

 the opinion that such conclusions have resulted from small 

 tumours of different origin being mistaken for these 

 nodules." Dodd (1910, a, p. 86) mentioned that they may 

 occur in the connective tissues in any part of the body. 

 We found them mainly in the brisket (C. and J., 1910, c, 

 p. 92), but referred to their presence in certain other situ- 

 ations. Dr. CI eland and myself have seen an encapsuled 

 specimen, said to have been taken from the neighbourhood 

 of the spleen, a situation similar to that from which Filaria 

 lienalis was recorded by Stiles. 



In regard to the number which may be found in an 

 animal, we (CI. and J., 1910, c, p. 92) have recorded the 

 finding of twenty- one in the brisket alone. As many 

 as fifty has been counted from one host (Gilruth and Sweet, 

 p. 6.), while a yearling (p. 4) was found to harbour twenty- 

 four. Gibson (1893, p. 577) mentioned that he had been 

 informed by butchers that, in rare instances, nodules were 

 so numerous and so distributed in an animal, that condem- 

 nation of the whole carcase was necessary. 



Age incidence : — As a result of careful ante- and post- 

 mortem examinations of a large number of cows and bullocks 

 of various ages, Gilruth (p. 4, 5) found that there was a 

 heavy infection in the case of yearlings, as in old animals, 

 and that one sex was as liable to become parasitised as the 

 other, but that in the older animals there was usually a 

 greater percentage of degenerated nodules. The youngest 

 animal recorded as having been found to be infected was 

 between six and seven months old (C. and J., 1910, c, p. 92 ; 

 six to eight months — G. and S., 1911, p. 5). This is con- 

 clusive evidence that the worm can mature very rapidly, 

 and also suggests that the life of the parasite probably 

 does not extend over many years. 



Degree of iiifection : — The most important statements 

 regarding the degree of infection are those of Gilruth (1911, 

 p. 3), who has had opportunities of investigating this side 

 of the question. He states that " so far as could be ascer- 

 tained, no cattle station in Queensland is entirely free from 

 the parasite," that at least twenty per cent, of animals 

 on "clean" stations are affected, and that a complete 



