WORM NODULES IN AUSTRALIAN CATTLE. 310 



absence of any reference whatever, either in scientific or stock 

 journals, it is perfectly permissible to assume their absence. While it 

 is possible, as indicated by Cleland and Johnston, that the buffalo, 

 which was imported into Australia from Timor eighty-live years ago, 

 is the true originating host, it must not be overlooked that possibly 

 along with the buffalo, or at about the same time, cattle were also- 

 imported, for permission was given for such to be done. (Report, 

 Bureau of Microbiology, 1910, p. 99.) This is important, for De 

 Does has observed similar nodules in the pectoral region of cattle 

 born in Java (Railliet and Henry — Comptes Rendus des seances de 

 la Societ>^ de Biologie, T. LXVIIL, 1910, p. 250). Java, it should 

 be remembered, is connected by a continuous chain of islands with 

 Timor, and consequently it is more than probable the Timor cattle 

 also harbour these parasites. Under these circumstances, there- 

 fore, it is probably unnecessary to assume a transference from an 

 original host, e.g., buffalo {Bos indicus) (?) to a new species {Bos 

 taurus). {See Note, p. 342.) 



Geographical Distribution of the Disease in 



Australasia. 



In New Zealand these nodules have never been detected. 

 All cattle slaughtered for export, and all cattle slaughtered for sale 

 within towns of over 2,000 inhabitants, being the subject of very 

 careful post-mortem examination in the Dominion by a body of 

 qualified State Inspectors, it may be confidently stated that had 

 such a diseased condition existed it would have been reported long 

 ere this. 



In Tasmania the disease has never been observed in locally- 

 bred or in King Island cattle, although frequently detected in New 

 South Wales cattle imported for immediate slaughter. 



In Melbourne the nodules are from time to time encountered 

 in cattle slaughtered at the abattoirs. The inspectors almost 

 invariably state, however, that they are solely to be found in 

 " northern " cattle, or cattle which have been imported into Victoria 

 from northern New South W'ales and Queensland. We have been 

 assured, however, by one careful inspector that he has observed 

 them occasionally in Victorian -bred cattle. There are records of 

 their occurrence in cattle slaughtered in Adelaide, which is not 

 surprising, seeing many of them are bred in the Northern Territory, 

 and they appear to be well known in West Australia. 



In Sydney, as Cleland and Johnston have shown, they are 

 frequently observed in cattle slaughtered at the abattoirs. Stanley 

 (Gibson — Trans. Intercol. Med. Congress, August, 1892, p. 576) in 

 1892 stated that they might be detected at least in 50 per cent, of 

 the animals slaughtered ; but we think, from personal observation, 

 this is extremely doubtful. In cattle from northern New South 

 Wales, the Clarence and Richmond River districts, they appear to 

 be fairly common, the opinion of Sydney inspectors being confirmed 

 by the Brisbane inspectors and works managers. 



