ILLTNOIS STATE BEE-KEEPERS' ASSOCIATION 



161 



things concerning the nature, the dis- 

 tribution, and tlie activity, of which 

 we do not know. The facts which 

 have been determined enable us to 

 suggest some of the principles upon 

 which the treatment must be based. 

 Just so rapidly as our knowledge of 

 the etiology of this disease increases, 

 so rapidly will we be able to suggest 

 principles for the improvement of the 

 methods of treatment. 



In European foul brood, we only 

 know positively that the disease is in- 

 fectious and we can do no better than 

 to use the principles gained by the 

 study of American foul brood. As our 

 knowledge of the etiology of this dis- 

 ease increases, the methods of treat- 

 ment will be altered. 



In the so-called "Pickled brood" we 

 do not seem to have an infectious dis- 

 ease. Nothing is positively known of 

 the etiology except that the larvae 

 die at approximately the same age in 

 all cases, which is about the time of 

 capping. The treatment that is used 

 by some is based upon the principle 

 that heredity is an Important factoif 

 and, therefore, requeening is resorted 

 to. In the disease of adult bees 

 known as paralysis, practically noth- 

 ing is known and practically no treat- 

 ment is known to be effective. It will 

 be noted that in every case the treat- 

 ment is based upon the knowledge of 

 the etiology. 



The treatment of any disease rests 

 primarily upon the removal of the 

 cause. This presupposes some knowl- 

 edge of the causej It is clear, then, 

 "nat the better we know the cause the 

 better will be the methods of treat- 

 ment. There are many things of very 

 great importance in the etiology of ^ 

 bee diseases which are yet to be de- 

 termined, but there are many things 

 which are known that if applied by 

 the bee-keeper will prove to be of 

 great value to him financially. It is 

 to be hoped that the bee-keeper will 

 rniake himself as familiar as possible 

 with the nature of the etiology of bee 

 diseases. It is not necessary that one 

 should understand all the details of 

 the work which must be done in order 

 to determine the cause of disease. 

 When you have read carefully all that 

 is written concerning the investiga- 

 tions of bee diseases, we should be 

 disappointed in you if you should pre- 

 ,sume to know all about it. It is just 

 as impossible to become familiar with 

 the details of the investigation of bee 



diseases and not work in the labora- 

 tory as it is to become familiar with 

 bee-keeping and not work in the 

 apiary. However, there is much about 

 which all can know. It is far more 

 important in the control of bee dis- 

 eases that some of the etiology be 

 known to all than that all of the etiol- 

 ogy be known to some. If this 

 scourge of our industry is to be con- 

 trolled, and it can be controlled, it 

 will be done by means of methods 

 which are based upon a knowledge of 

 the etiology of these diseases. Too, 

 if it is controlled or eradicated, it will 

 be done by the united action of well- 

 informed bee-keepers. From this dis- 

 cussion, I can draw the one conclusion 

 — that in the knowledge of the etiol- 

 ogy of bee diseases lies the hope of 

 their control. 



Dr. Bohrer — There is one point I 

 desire to call attention to. Dr. White 

 refers to the fact that, bees that are 

 hatched in a colony diseased with foul 

 brood appear weakly, and that I think 

 appears to be the case until they are 

 transferred or shaken upon comb 

 foundations. My experience has led 

 me to believe that so soon as they are 

 put upon comb foundation the mani- 

 festation of the ailment or weakness 

 ceases. 



My experience with the drug treat- 

 ment has not been satisfactory at all. 

 In fact I regard it as being entirely 

 unavailing. Nothing will answer but 

 the removal of the comb and honey 

 and putting them into clean hives. 

 That is the only remedy I have found 

 at all effective. 



Mr. Holterman — I would like to ask 

 Dr. White as to the source of infec- 

 tion. He speaks of the need of disin- 

 fecting hives. I think we should all 

 be open to change of view and open 

 to investigation, arid that is a question 

 , upon which there is a good deal of 

 difference of opinion. I would like to 

 ask if there is any actual evidence, 

 the result of investigation, which has 

 been brought forward to show the dis- 

 ease is ever transmitted in that way. 

 I believe it may be a source of infec- 

 tion, and I believe it would be well to 

 try to carry on some investigations 

 along that line. I think it is more 

 dangerous to hold the view that it is 

 not a source of infection and act upon 

 it than to believe it is a source. 



Dr. White — ^As far as I know there 

 has been no work done upon that line. 

 The paper read that it would be safer 



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