io8 THE BOOK OF THE HONEY BEE 



unless administered in such concentrated condition as to 

 destroy the bees. 



Here is where the real danger of foul brood comes in. 

 Once the bacilli sporiolate, successful cure of a diseased 

 colony becomes exceedingly difficult. 



Needless to point out, foul brood is terribly infectious. 



On examining a comb taken from a healthy hive, the 

 brood will be seen to be of a pure pearly whiteness, 

 and to lie curled up in the cells somewhat in the form of 

 a letter C. Diseased larvae, on the other hand, quickly 

 lose their plump appearance, and gradually extend 

 themselves in a horizontal position. The colour 

 changes from the characteristic pearly whiteness to a 

 pale yellow, which deepens more and more in colour as 

 the disease advances, until finally the larvae decompose, 

 leaving a dry brown scale. 



In the case of sealed brood affected, the cappings are 

 generally darker in colour, more or less concave or 

 indented, and sometimes perforated. On probing with 

 a pin or match, these cells will be found to contain a sticky 

 coffee coloured ropy mass of putrescence, which generally 

 smells most offensively, the odour somewhat resembling 

 that of putrid fish. 



Any instrument used for probing should at once be 

 destroyed. It is a good plan to have a bowl of carbolic 

 acid at hand when examining stocks for foul brood. 

 Care must be taken clearly to differentiate between foul 

 brood and chilled brood. Larvae affected with foul 

 brood turn yelloiv, then broiun, and finally leave a broivn 

 scale. Chilled brood turns grey, and afterwards nearly 

 black. 



To successfully treat an infected colony, two objects 

 must be kept in view. Firstly, to get rid of all spores ; 

 and, secondly, to destroy the bacilli. Should the dis- 

 ease fortunately be detected in the very earliest 

 stages, no spores will be present, and simple feeding 



