"GROUSE DISEASE "PATHOLOGY 275 



by a specific bacillus, which he found in the blood and organs of birds which 

 had succumbed to the disease. But neither of these theories of " Grouse Disease " 

 has found general acceptance. Against Cobbold's view is often urged the well- 

 established fact that Trichostrongylus pergracilis is present practically without 

 exception in all normal wild Grouse (and often too in extraordinary numbers) 

 and it has never hitherto been clearly shown to be more numerous in 

 individuals believed to be suffering from " Grouse Disease " than in others. 

 Klein's bacillus on the other hand has long been suspected of being no other 

 than Bacillus coli, which, as is well known, rapidly invades the tissues after 

 death. C. G. Seligmann, who was the first to investigate the bacteriology of 

 " Grouse Disease " for the Committee, but who was unfortunately called away 

 for other work before they were completed, had already, in 1907, come to 

 the conclusion that Klein's bacillus was one of the coli group, and was not 

 the cause of "Grouse Disease." To these points we must return when we 

 have recorded our own observations. 



It is necessary at this stage to explain how we came to be associated 

 with the work, and what facilities we had for carrying it out. 



" Grouse Disease " having been reported in Scotland early in May 1908, 

 we were invited to undertake bacteriological investigations, and accordingly 

 Dr Cobbett proceeded north to commence preliminary work. Some M etho( j sof 

 rooms at Beaufort Castle were converted by Lord Lovat into a ^es U tig S 

 temporary laboratory, and every effort made by his staff of keepers tlon< 

 to procure diseased birds in a living condition. At the same time owners 

 of Grouse moors in the neighbourhood were asked to procure living sickly 

 birds if possible. Some days later a move was made to Mr Perrins' moor 

 at Ardross, where Mr Cuthbert kindly placed a room in his own house at 

 our disposal for use as a laboratory. The visit terminated after a week, but 

 during the time eleven diseased birds and one normal bird were examined 

 together with others picked up dead on the moors. The latter were, of 

 course, useless for bacteriological examination since in all cultures made from 

 the organs of birds which have been dead for some time, whether diseased 

 or healthy, and of birds which have been shot and wounded in the abdomen, 

 Bacillus coli and other intestinal bacteria occur in large numbers. 



A second visit to Scotland was made from August 25th to September 

 1st. During that time eight fresh Grouse were examined for bacteria, 

 one being a bird caught when obviously ill on Cawdor Moor and received alive. 



