ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS. 11 



found in the neighbourhood of Sydney and near the coast literally 

 covered with them, and yet show not a symptom. On the other 

 hand it is a common belief, which is I think, well founded, for I 

 have collected a number of accounts by competent and trustworthy 

 medical men who agree in their observations, that frequently grave 

 symptoms, often ending in death, result from the insect's bite. The 

 train of symptoms in dogs which seems to summarise the observa- 

 tions on about one hundred cases, according to the letters of my cor- 

 respondents areas follows: Young animals are specially susceptible. 

 There is first moping, hot-nose, and gradually advancing muscular 

 weakness first noted in hind-limbs from the staggering gait, then 

 in fore-limbs, neck and muscles of respiration. Probably owing 

 to the last mainly is a great diminution of the animal's activity 

 and alteration of its bark, which becomes rather a gruff cough. 

 Obstinate constipation, troubles of micturition or retention. 

 Epileptiform attacks or prolonged convulsions may usher in a fatal 

 issue, or there may be no convulsive sign and death ensue from 

 failure of heart, the pulse having been flickering, or from failure 

 of respiration, there having perhaps been Cheyne-Stokes breathing. 

 Peripheral nerve paralyses have been seen during convalescence — ■ 

 such as Bell's paralysis. The tick when filled with blood falls off 

 and leaves a hard lump which does not disappear for two to three 

 weeks. One attack confers immunity from the evil effects upon 

 subsequent atacks, and in some districts where the ticks abound, 

 dogs are regularly made immune by letting the tick remain till 

 the first symptoms appear, which may be in a few hours, and then 

 removing it. Upon complete recovery this is repeated one or two 

 times. The second time the symptoms are longer in appearing 

 than the first time, and are longer still the third time. After 

 this the dog is protected.* There are apparently, different kinds 

 of ticks, some comparatively harmless, some, such as the large 

 "bottle tick," a single one of which killed a dog of forty pounds 

 weight, very venomous, the effects of the two sexes may differ 



* I have to acknowledge valuable information on this matter from 

 various correspondents, and particularly Drs. H. A. Ellis and Gr. W. Taylor. 



