May 24, 19 1 7] 



NATURE 



253 



proportion of the cost, both of much old work and of 

 new developments, should fall up>on the grants." 



The important changes set forth in the draft await, 

 however, in their main proposals the close of the war, 

 but having regard to the admitted fact that more than 

 two millions of the adolescent population between thir- 

 teen and eisrhteen years of age cease to avail them- 

 selves of all opportunities of further education, no 

 measures will be really 'effective for the future educa- 

 tion of the young people until all exemptions from 

 school up to at least fourteen years of age are removed 

 and provision made for continued education within 

 working hours until eighteen years of age. It is to be 

 hoped, as the Board desires, J:hat the experienced ad- 

 ministrators of the various authorities and the teachers 

 will give careful consideration to this important mani- 

 festo of the Board. 



THE SUPPLY OF CEREALS. 

 'T'HE recently published "Statistical Notes on the 



*■ Cereals" (No. 5, March, 1917) issued by the 

 International Institute of Agriculture must be regarded 

 in the existing situation as a compilation of more than 

 ordinarj- interest, representing as it does the most 

 precise information obtainable as to the results of last 

 season's corn harvests throughout the world. Pre- 

 liminary estimates issued from time to time have 

 pointed with lamentable uniformitv to a serious short- 

 age of corn supplies as compared with recent years, 

 and the final record fully bears them out. Interest 

 centres specially in the yield of cereals available for 

 international trade, which excludes enemy countries, 

 territories invaded by the enemy, and countries 

 such as the uninvaded portions of Rumania and 

 European Russia," export from which is prevented 

 by the war. The total yield of wheat from 

 all other sources shows a decline of 277 per cent, as 

 compared with the excellent harvest of 1915, and 16-9 

 per cent, as compared with the average of the fv(e 

 seasons 1911-15. The rye crop shows corresponding 

 deficiencies of 29 per cent, and 4-1 per cent. ; barley, 

 9-9 per cent, and 41 percent. ; oats, 69 per cent, and 32 

 percent. ; and maize, 15-9 per cent, and 12-1 percent, re- 

 spectively. Taking wheat and rye' together as the staple 

 bread-corn crops, the total deficiency as compared with 

 1915-16 is 263 per cent., or 161 per cent, below the 

 five-year average, whilst the total of the three " fodder- 

 corn " crops shows corresponding deficiencies of 15-5 

 per cent, and 8-8 per cent, respectively. Now that all 

 corn has become bread-corn the grand total is of in- 

 terest, and this shows deficiencies of 19-6 per cent, and 

 11-4 per cent, respectively. 



In order to get a true picture of the balance between 

 production and consumption it is necessary, however, 

 to bring further into the account the "carry-over" 

 from previous seasons' crops, which fortunatelv in the 

 case of wheat, oats, and maize was large. Even then, 

 however, the available supplies fall short of estimated 

 normal consumption for every crop except oats. In 

 the case of wheat the whole supply of crop and reserve 

 fails to meet normal consumption bv roughlv 2 per 

 cent., whilst_ the total supplies of grain of all kinds 

 show a deficiency below consumption requirements of 

 fully 3 per cent. These deficiencies mav appear to be 

 small, but it must be remembered that they inVolve 

 the entire consumption of the remainder left' on hand 

 from the superb crop of 19 15 and leave absolutely no 

 margin of insurance against a further unfavourable 

 crop in the current season. When we make allowance 

 further for the large quantities of corn which must 

 have been lost on the high seas, it must be admitted 

 that the case for a drastic reduction in cereal consump- 

 tion has been oroved bevond challenge. 

 NO. 2482, VOL. 99] 



TESTS FOR GLANDERS IN ARMY HORSES. 

 T JNDER the title "The Value of the Intra-dermo 

 ^ Palpebral Method of -Malleinisation," Major 

 Hobday has recorded in the Veterinary Journal for 

 December, 1916, his experience concerning the value 

 of the palpebral test for glanders in horses, as em- 

 ployed in the French Army by Vet.-Major Lamarque, 

 Prof. Douville, and M. Drouin, After a ver\- exten- 

 sive application of the test, he is very favouraBly 

 impressed with it, claiming several advantages for it 

 as compared with the subcutaneous test cairried out in 

 the region of the neck more widely resorted to in 

 this country. 



The chief advantages claimed are especially not- 

 able where large numbers of horses have to be speedily 

 tested, and are summarised by Major Hobday as 

 follows : (i) The greater convenience of transport 

 (since the required dose is so much smaller) ; (2) the ease 

 and rapidity of administration; (3) the great advan- 

 tage of visibility (since swelling in the region of the 

 eyelids is so much more perceptible than swelling in 

 the subcutaneous region of the neck); (4) that the 

 reaction is more violent and more rapid, and no time 

 is wasted by taking temperatures, which is unneces- 

 sary; and (5) that the cost is less, owing to the 

 smaller dose used. 



For the test concentrated mallein is used, and two 

 minims are injected with antiseptic precautions " intra- 

 dermally in the under-eyelid, about the centre, but 

 slightly inclined to the inner canthus." The eyes are 

 inspected in about twenty-four hours, and again in 

 about thirty-six or forty-eight hours, after injection. 

 A positive reaction consists of a discharge of mucus 

 from the inner canthus, and a characteristic swelling 

 of one or both eyelids, closing up the orbit to a 

 greater or less degree, and being excessively tender. 

 The swelling, which persists for three or four days, 

 extends downwards over the submaxillar)' region, and 

 there may be a cording of the lymphatics extending 

 to the submaxillar)' gland, which is swollen and 

 tender. This test for glanders is undoubtedly of great* 

 value when large numbers of hordes have to be sp^dUy 

 inspected, but whether it will prove as efficient or 

 as generally trustworthy as the older subcutaneous 

 test, in which the local reaction is accompanied by a 

 thermal reaction which serves as a check, remains 

 to be proved. 



RHUBARB. 



" TT is the interest of Mankind that all persons should 

 ^ be caution 'd of advent 'ring upon unknown herbs 

 and plants to their prejudice." These words, written 

 by John Ray more than two centuries ago, and quoted 

 by his distinguished contemporary, John Evelvn, in 

 his "Acetaria," are seasonable still, and, indeed, in 

 view of jthe recent "advent'ring" with regard to 

 rhubarb-leaves, have to-day a special significance and 

 interest. Were our famous countr\-man of Stuart 

 times living at this hour, it is quite conceivable that, 

 great experimentalist as he was, and endowed with 

 more than the usual share of the "interest of Man- 

 kind," he would have devoted himself with energy 

 and skill to the solution of some of the problems that 

 confront us now, and some pertinent remarks on the 

 question of utilising rhubarb-leaves as a vegetable 

 would have been likely to appear ove^ his signature in 

 the columns of the daily newspapers. Had he in 

 such circumstances recorhmended them, we can well 

 imagine that his recommendation would have been 

 accompanied by a warning similar to that quoted 

 above, or more cogent, and printed in large clarendon 

 capitals or italics. 



