Die Parasiten der Infectionskrankheiten. 45 
fasting on the voyage up the river, have thus far been themsel- 
ves the greatest sufferers by disease, and have proved to be the 
most frequent carriers of the cause which last summer destroyed 
native herds in Illinois and Indiana. 
9) Susceptibility of other animals than those of the bovine 
species to the disease. The fact seems to be well etablished that 
several kinds of herbivorous animals do suffer and die from the 
disease. 
10) Is the disease of cryptogamic origin? With the amount 
and kind of evidence now in our possession, it seems probable 
that this malady owes its origin to a species of fungus parasite 
which has now been demonstrated to infest infected cattle; and 
that this conclusion rests upon other and much stronger reasons 
than that such a parasite simply is-found in the blood and _ bile. 
It also seems highly probable that the actual contagium, or means 
by which the disease is repropagated by cattle, will ultimately be 
demonstrated to depend upon this minute spore-growth (Micrococ- 
cus matter, of Professor Hallier), which is found in the diseased 
cattle and upon the higher stages of the development when depo- 
sited with the excremental droppings upon the soil, etc. And, 
that ultimately it may, and probably will be discovered, that the 
native habitat and source of this parasite is in limited districts 
of country south of Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas; and that it 
is a parasite of the indigenous herbage of those districts. Upon 
all these points the evidence is cumulative, harmonious and logi- 
cal; yet, m the more advanced state of knowledge concerning the 
causation of this and other infectious diseases, it may be found 
that this or some other essential attribute of the disease and the 
contagium is only an essential factor, the presence of which, with 
other morbid and unhealthful conditions, insures the production 
and fatal operations of the malady. Finally, in regard to this 
exact kind of discrimination concerning the nature and destructive 
operation of the propagating cause of pestilential diseases, the 
facts that have been demonstrated concerning the Texas cattle 
disease add very largely to a kind ot knowledge which is of the 
highest importance to sanitary science and its protective applica- 
tions in the human family and to the useful animals which the 
Creator has given to man. E. Harris. 
Ich glaubte, den Lesern dieser Zeitschrift eine möglichst aus- 
führliche Wiedergabe des Berichtes über die Texas-Rinderpest 
