BEE DISEASES 



155 



A short account of how hees may develop this dread 

 niah^dy will not be out of place. In the beginning, the 

 disease is caused by a specific bacillus, visibte only with 

 the aid of high microscopical ])ower. Like many diseases 

 of the human race, the specific bacillus that produces 

 foul brood has been isolated and given the name of 

 Bacillus larvce, and latterly the Americans (Dr. Phillips 

 and staff of Washington, U.S.A.) liave isolated a new one. 



A Victorian microscoitist states that spores may be 

 obtained from the earth. These spores are the "seeds" 



Fig. 64. A Comb of Diseased Brood. (Foul Brood). 



— if one may use the expression — that placed in suitable 

 "soil," e.g. the juices of the larval bee, develop into 

 Bacilli. 



These grow lengthways — like a bamboo stick con- 

 stantly breaking off into short lengths each of which 

 continues to expand in a like manner; scientifically known 

 as fissuration — until the "soil" e.g. the fat globules of 

 the larval juices is exhausted. Thereupon they again 

 assume the spore condition. In the form of bacillus it 

 is easily killed by boiling water, dry heat, 160° F., 

 sunlight, or contact with various chemicals. In the form 

 of "seeds" or spores the difliculty is not so easily over- 

 come; they are coated with an extremely tough skin that 

 requires long sustained heat to penetrate it effectively. 



