Feb. 25, 1904. 



THE AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



133 



minimum 16 degrees R.) The spores, which are thicker 

 than the actual bacillus, are formed on the ends of the bacil- 

 lus which assume the form of a spindle ; during- the forma- 

 tion of spores, they can be killed on being boiled for three 

 hours. 



Prof. Harrison discovered that development of the 

 bacillus alvei is stopped by beta-naphtol, also by formic 

 acid, formaldehyde and thymol. On adding 10 percent of 

 formic acid to the food in the cells for the larvif the forma- 

 tion of the Bacillus alvei is prevented. 



By my own experiments and trials with the foul-brood 

 germ I learned that the fumes of formalin will kill the 

 bacteria and spores on coming in contact with them. Thus 

 far it was thought that Bacillus alvei was a particular va- 

 riety of bacterium, only found in colonies of bees ; but Sep- 

 tember, 1902, Dr. Lambotte, of the University of Leige, pub- 

 lished that by careful examination he found that the bacil- 

 lus alvei is identical with the bacillus mesentericus vulgaris, 

 so plentifully found in Nature. 



From Fluegge and Migula we know that, first, the 

 bacillus mesentericus vulgatus is found on potatoes and milk, 

 especially in the ground. Second, that the bacillus mesen- 

 tericus fuscus is found on potato pealing and in the air. 

 Third, that according to Globig, the bacillus mesentericus 

 ruber is usually found on potatoes. To these three varie- 

 ties Dr. Lambotte adds as a fourth the bacillus mesentericus 

 vulgaris, which species appears especially upon ill-kept 

 bread, and which is said to be identical with the originator 

 of foul brood. It is expected that other bacteriologists will 

 confirm Dr. Lambotte's statement. 



The observations of Lambotte explain why so many 

 bee-colonies become affected with foul brood, where any 

 contagion from other colonies is excluded or absolutely im- 

 possible. They also prove that the destruction or burning 

 of the affected colonies is insufficient for the successful ex- 

 termination of the foul brood. Of what avail will the 

 destruction of affected colonies be when the cause of the 

 disease is spread over the entire universe, in the ground, in 

 the air, on the plants and fruits ? 



Mehring writes in his book, that foul brood of the worst 

 form can be produced by feeding a colony with the juice of 

 dried fruit, which had been cooked and sweetened with 

 sugar. This shows that the bacteria must be on fruits. 



Phil. Reidenbach says: "The foul brood bacteria have 

 not such destructive peculiarities that a larva, coming in 

 contact with it, must get sick and die." Then he says, that 

 he made a one percent solution of foul-brood combs in 

 water; this he added to the food for the larvse of different 

 ages in the cells by means of a camel's-hair brush. In spite 

 of this, all larvae developed into bees in due time, only 

 when he introdueed the pure foul brood to the food in the 

 cells, the larva; died, but the colony did not become affected 

 with foul brood on that account, for the dead larva; were re- 

 moved by the bees and the colony had been primarily a 

 strong one. 



Some bee-keepers claim that they give frames affected 

 with foul brood to strong, healthy colonies in order to re- 

 clean them, without any sign of sickness or disease being 

 perceptible later on. Formerly it was customary to fight 

 against the foul brood by means of disinfectants, however, 

 without any satisfactory results being obtained ; finally, 

 the bacteriologists came to the conclusion that the bacillus 

 was merely killed, but not the spores, for whose extermina- 

 tion the disinfectants would have to be so highly concen- 

 trated that the bees were unable to endure it. If weaker 

 substances, for instance a solution of formaldehyde were 

 used, the malady was checked for the time being, but reap- 

 peared when the treatment was discontinued. These fail- 

 ures created a feeling of discouragement, and it was consid- 

 ered as foolish to try to cure the malady on these principles. 

 But it is not quite so bad as it seems to be, for the hard 

 work the bee-keeper undertakes by trying to disinfect his 

 bees, the bees themselves willingly relieve him of, because 

 Nature has fitted them out to best perform this work them- 

 selves. The bees are best adapted to free themselves most 

 rapidly of foul-broody nymphs and larvs ; for this purpose 

 they produce special substances for preventing the devel- 

 opment of the bacillus and spores, and for keeping them in 

 a latent condition. 



We are encountering a new miracle of the apiary. The 

 keeping of the bacillus from further doing harm ; in other 

 words, the disinfection of their homes is executed by the 

 bees themselves by application of substances, which the 

 human intellect first discovered after many years of re- 

 search, and which, at present, are accepted as the most effec- 

 tive disinfectants for our homes. 



First. The secretion of the salivary glands and the food- 



chyle of the bees contain abundant vinous acid, which is 

 analogous with the acid in grapes and wine. 



Second. A long time after the newly-hatched bee has 

 left the cell the brood-cells still produce gaseous formic acid. 

 Third. The larva; contain plenty of concentrated formic 

 acid, which is a free acid from the vinous acid of the food- 

 chyle oxidation. 



Fourth. The ethereal oils, which the bees gather with 

 the nectar and pollen, serve as disinfectants, and act as a 

 stimulant or spice for their food. 



Phil. Reidenbach claims, that on chemical analysis of 

 thymolatic Ajowan oil he found it to be a first-class stimulant 

 and antiseptic, nearly as effective as sublimate. This, Dr. 

 Lambotte endorses emphatically, saying that he arrived at 

 the same results by microscopic investigations ; that the 

 larva; contain substances of an antiseptic nature which pre- 

 vent the development of bacillus, for which reason bacteria 

 may appear in healthy larva;. The transsubstantiation in 

 the bees and larvae, the formation of formic acid from vin- 

 ous acid of the food-chyle by means of oxydation is of great 

 value for keeping foul brood out of the colony. If the bees 

 are to be energetic and ambitious, so that they clean up 

 their brood-frames and carry out all their dead larva; and 

 nymphs ; if they are to produce antiseptic substances in 

 abundance, and if they shall be healthy and resistible 

 against foul brood, the following conditions must be complied 

 with under all circumstances: 



1st. A good ventilation of the hives. 

 2d. Good food, honey and pollen. 



3rd. A normal queen which produces strong, healthy 

 population. 



The results of poor ventilation of the hives are known : 

 In winter a wet colony, moldy combs which are unable to 

 produce formic acid, scarcity of air, increased wants for 

 food, rearing brood in unreasonable season, scarcity of 

 water, dysentery, chilled brood, foul brood. In summer, 

 overheating, dullness, poor quality and scarcity of food, 

 dying of the brood, and again foul brood. 



Experience teaches us that foul brood is easily produced 

 in those colonies where there is poor ventilation. Honey is 

 the only food for bees ; sugar, containing hardly any albu- 

 men, will not have the desired effect. Whoever had the op- 

 portunity to see how bees prefer honey when sugar is set 

 next to it ; whoever has not observed that in spring the 

 colonies fed in winter with honey are in advance of those 

 reared on sugar, will have to learn from physiology that 

 the development of all animals and formation of nitrog- 

 enous organic substances depends upon the albumen in the 

 food ; hence the energetic active spirit of the bees depends 

 upon their food. This shows that the bees need honey and 

 pollen in order to be able to take up the fight against foul 

 brood. What has a colony of bees got to nourish its brood 

 in the spring, with a solution of sugar which contains 

 scarcely any albumen ? Nothing, not even what they need 

 to keep up the energetic spirit to throw out the dead larvae 

 and nymphs. How valuable the albumen is in the food we 

 can readily observe in the wild animals. Without albumen 

 where would their energetic spirit be ? A foul-brood colony 

 never shows life. Pollen is the food for bees, which con- 

 tains the most albumen. What pollen amounts to we can 

 learn from the Heide bee-keepers. Mr. Lehrzen, of Luene- 

 burg, writes : The bee-keepers claim that if the bees are 

 left in one place for three years they will be infected with 

 foul brood, caused, as the bee-keepers claim, by lack of pol- 

 len until late in the season. This also shows that the 

 originator of foul brood must be widely diffused, for if foul 

 brood appears in consequence of missing pollen, the foul- 

 brood bacteria must be very plentiful. When pollen is miss- 

 ing the bees will keep themselves for some time, as the honey 

 contains about from 1 to 3 percent of albumen, the most 

 of this in digested form called peptone, which does not melt 

 on cooking. The presence of peptone in honey I have found 

 on analysis. Out of the salivary glands, the peptone is 

 more or less transformed into a sugar solution, but in quan- 

 tities too small. Often the queen is at fault that the colony 

 becomes sick, if she produces more or less degenerated bees. 

 Degeneration shows itself on the creatures by organic de- 

 fects, insufficient development, small resistibility against 

 contagious diseases, short life, especially by laziness and 

 lack of energy. The degeneration is a consequence of ab- 

 normal conditions, especially copulation of near relation. 

 Look for good ventilation, good food for fresh blood and for 

 queens not related to your stock. 



Other precautions for the prevention of the malady 

 which, however, are of secondary importance, must be taken 

 into consideration. Under all circumstances keep away 

 contagious combs and honey as much as possible. When 



