Studies in Forage Poisoning V. 91 



found in the oat hay (mentioned in the original studies), as 

 well as the water from the poisonous oat hay reserved for 22 

 months. These observations are made even more significant by 

 the apparently protective quality of serum immune to B. bot- 

 ulinus against the organisms referred to in this paper as c-91 

 and go-6, isolated from experimental horse No. 91 and from water 

 in which the poisonous oat hay had been immersed, respectively. 

 Omitting at this time the details, antitoxic sera prepared 

 against B. botulinus in a mule and a horse, proved efficacious 

 in protecting guinea pigs against the organism isolated from the 

 caecum of experimental horse No. 91, the organism from the 

 water in which the oat hay had been immersed, as well as a 

 similar organism isolated from corn ensilage in two remote out- 

 breaks of a similar disease in horses and mules. While further 

 studies are pending, the preliminary evidence seems to warrant 

 the following conclusions at this time : 



Summary. 



1. An oat hay which had caused a sporadic outbreak of 

 forage poisoning retained its virulence in storage for approxi- 

 mately 22 months. The etiologic factor in this forage proved to 

 be water soluble and capable of causing symptoms of forage 

 poisoning and death in horses after freeh^ drinking the water 

 from the oat hay. 



2. (a) B. botulinus proved fatal to horses and mules, sub- 

 sequently to ingestion in wholesome feed, as well as by sub- 

 cutaneous injection. The clinical symptoms and anatomic al- 

 terations accompanying artificial B. botulinus infection in horses 

 and mules closely resembled the symptoms and gross anatomic 

 lesions recognized in natural outbreaks of forage poisoning in 

 Central Kentucky. 



(b) Chickens proved highly resistant to B. botulinus ad- 

 ministered subcutaneously and by the mouth. The naturally 

 voided excreta of fowls that had been fed B. botulinus proved 

 fatal to a mule after ingestion, involving the domestic chicken 

 as a possible agent in contaminating feedstuffs, should B. 

 botulinus be prevalent in nature. This observation confirms 

 van Ermengem's original classification of B. botulinus as a. 



