24 



THE AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER 



February 



FOUL BRO OD IN TH E APIARY, 



Prevention, Not Cure, a Solution of the Problem. An Exhaustive Discussion of the 

 Subject by a Pioneer in the Formalin Treatment. 



BY C. H. W. WEBER. 



IN 3875 Hilbert discovered that bac- 

 teria are the originators of many 

 iufpctious diseases. 



In 1S54 Cohn proved the vegetable 

 nature of bacteria, and showed that 

 foul brood was caused by those bac- 

 teria. 



Dr. Kolbe advocated salicylic acid 

 for curing foul brood. Since then, it 

 has been proven, that the treatment of 

 foul brood colonies 

 ' with antisceptics is 

 insufficient, and 

 that a successful 

 cure is only to be 

 expected of the col- 

 onies of bees them- 

 selves and of their 

 natural treatment 

 and development. 



In 1883 the crea- 

 tor of foul brood 

 was described by 

 Cheshire & Cheyne 

 as a thin bacillus, 

 slightly rounded on 

 each end, having a 

 length of 3-5 to 4 

 ihousandths milli- 

 meter, and only col- 

 ored with difficulty, 

 they named it "Ba- 

 cillus Alvei." The 

 temperature most 

 favorable for its de- 

 velopment is 37, 5 

 degrees R. or 115 degrees F. (Maxi- 

 mum 47 degrees R., minimum 16 de- 

 grees R.). The spores, which are thick- 

 er than the actual bacillus are formed 

 on the ends of the bacillus which as- 

 sume the form of a spindle during the 

 formation of spores, they can be killed 

 on being boiled for three hours. 



Professor Harrison discovered, that 

 development of the bacillus alvei is 

 stopped by betanaphtol, also by formic 

 acid, formaldehyde and thymol. On 

 adding 10 per cent, of forrnic acid to 

 the food in the cells for the larvae the 

 formation of the bacillus alvei is pre- 

 vented. 



By my own experiments and trials 

 with the foul brood germ 1 learned that 

 the fumes of formaline will kill the 

 bacteria and spores on coming in con- 

 tact with them. Thus far it was 

 thought, that bacillus alvei was a par- 

 ticular variety of bacterium only found 

 in colonies of bees, but September, 

 1902, Dr. Lambotte, of the Uni- 

 versity of Leige published that by 

 careful examina- 

 tion he found, that 

 the bacillus alvei is 

 identical with the 

 bacillus mesenteri- 

 cus vulgaris, so 

 plentifully found in 

 Nature. 



From Fluegge 

 and Migula we 

 know, that, first, 

 the biclllus mesen- 

 tericus vulgatus is 

 found on potatoes 

 and milk, especially 

 in the ground. Sec- 

 ond, that the bacil- 

 lus mesentericus 

 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 varieties Dr. 

 Lambotte adds as a fourth the bacillus 

 mesentericus vulgaris,whiich specie ap- 

 pears especially upon ill-kept bread, 

 and which is said to be identical with 

 the originator of the foul brood. It Is 

 expected that other bacteriologists will 

 confirm Dr. Lambotte's statement. 



The observations of Lambotte ex- 

 plain why so many bee-colonies be- 

 come affected with foul brood, where 

 any contagion from other colonies is 

 ex<?luded or absolutely impossible. 

 They also prove, that the destrnction 

 or burning of the affected colonies Is 

 insufficient for the successful exter- 

 mination of the foul brood. Of what 



