AMERICAN FOUL BROOD 211 



Bacillus larvae. These microorganisms are so extremely minute 

 as to require a high power microscope to enable' on© to find them. 

 The germs or their spores seem to be carried from hive to hive 

 only in the honey. In treating American foul brood, it accord- 

 ingly becomes exceedingly important to rid the colony of every 

 vestige of the diseased honey. While the honey may carry the 

 germs of foul brood vs^hich are fatal to young bees, it is not in 

 the least injured thereby for human consumption. 



It is important that this point be fully understood or other- 

 wise any method of treatment is likely to be unavailing. On one 

 occasion an inspector was called to examine the bees in a neigh- 

 borhood where foul brood was known to be present. At one farm- 

 house he was told by the housewife that they no longer had any 

 bees but some empty hives. On investigation he found that the 

 bees had died during the winter from American foul brood. It 

 was still early spring and the honey had not yet been found by 

 the bees of the neighborhood. He explained carefully to the 

 owner the method of treatment and thought that he fully under- 

 stood it. The next day a man was sent back to ascertain whether 

 instructions had been properly followed, only to find that he 

 had carefully disinfected the hive by burning it out, but had 

 left the honey lying on the ground where it was even more likely 

 to be found by visiting bees than had it been left in the hive. 

 In this case a large apiary near at hand was saved from infection 

 by the fortunate visit of the inspector. 



Bees weakened by disease are very likely to die in winter. 

 In such cases the old combs should in no case be used again, but 

 the wax should be rendered and the hive carefully disinfected 

 before being put in service. Colonies thus weakened are also 

 very likely to fall an easy prey to the wax moth, and it fre- 

 quently happens that colonies which are charged to the ravages 

 of the moth are really victims of foul brood. It is frequently 

 recommended that honey from diseased colonies be boiled and 

 fed back again to the bees. While this may be safe if carefully 

 done, it is much safer to feed sugar syrup if it becomes necessary 



