Diseases, Parasites, &C.317 



the sulphate of iron has been substituted for the reduced 

 iron with beneficial effects." 



The following are the conclusions arrived at as the 

 result of the "present preliminary investigation" : 



11 i. The disease here described as takosis has appeared 

 in many parts of this country, but particularly in the 

 Northern States, where it has caused great loss to many 

 breeders of Angora goats. 



"2. It is a progressive, debilitative, contagious disease, 

 characterised by great emaciation and weakness, with 

 symptoms of diarrhoea and pneumonia, and causes a 

 mortality of 100 per cent, of those affected, and from 

 30 to 85 per cent, of the whole flock. 



"3. From the carcases of numerous animals that have 

 succumbed to this disease a new organism, Micrococcus 

 caprinus, has been recovered in purity, and is presum- 

 ably the etiological factor. 



' ' 4. This micrococcus possesses pathogenic properties 

 for goats, chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and white mice, 

 but not for sheep, dogs, or rats. 



"5. Although trie disease has been described before 

 [here a reference is given to ' ' The Book of the Goat ' ' 

 (third edition), 1885, p. 212], so far as could be ascer- 

 tained no bacteriological investigations have been pre- 

 viously made. 



" 6. Medical treatment was attempted with varying suc- 

 cess, while the immunising experiments thus far conducted 

 (although too few to permit of any conclusive statement 

 or accurate estimate as to their protective value) have 

 shown highly encouraging results. When accompanied 

 with measures of isolation and disinfection the treatment 

 may prove of great assistance in the suppression and 

 eradication of the disease in an infected flock." 



