RELATION OF ETIOLOGY OF BEE DISEASES TO TREATMENT. 41 



EUROPEAN FOUL BROOD. 



European foul brood is another infectious bee disease. It attacks 

 the brood at an earlier period in the growth of the larvae, as a rule, 

 than American foul brood. The cause of this disease is not definitely 

 known. From brood dead of this disease Cheshire and Cheyne iso- 

 lated Bacillus alvei. From their work it was long supposed that 

 Bacillus alvei was the cause of the disease, but later investigations 

 make the value of their work doubtful. 



A number of organisms have been found in the larvae dead from 

 this disease and some of them have been described. One species has 

 been encountered in our investigations of the disease which is of 

 special interest. The individuals of this species are quite small, 

 apparently non-spore-producing, and have so far failed to grow when 

 sown on our artificial media. Until we know more about this species 

 it will be referred to as Bacillus " TV' Since the cause is not posi- 

 tively known, the amount of heat and chemical disinfectants to de- 

 stroy the virus has not been demonstrated. If, later, Bacillus " T " 

 is demonstrated to be the cause, we shall expect that very much less 

 heat will be sufficient to kill it than is necessary to kill Bacillus larvce^ 

 the cause of American foul brood. Likewise we shall expect that 

 chemical disinfectants will be much more readily effective. Until we 

 know more about the etiology of European foul brood we can do no 

 better than to suggest the application of the same principles which are 

 found advisable in American foul brood. 



SO-CALLED "PICKLED BROOD." 



We refer to this disorder of the brood as the " so-called pickled 

 brood " and not pickled brood, because the condition which William 

 E. Howard, of Fort Worth, Tex., described is not what the bee 

 keepers know as pickled brood. The exciting cause of this disease 

 is not known. The larvge die at that age just preceding or just after 

 capping. Some bee keepers have a theory that heredity plays a very 

 important part as a predisposing cause. As far as is known the 

 disease does not seem to be infectious. 



This disease is treated by some bee keepers by requeening, on the 

 assumption that heredity is the important factor in the production 

 of the disease. If more were known concerning the etiology, the 

 treatment might be materially changed. 



PARALYSIS. 



Paralysis is a disease of the adult bee. The cause of this malady 

 is not known. It does not seem to be infectious, although in some 

 apiaries a large number of colonies may be affected at the same time. 

 Some have advanced the theory that the character of the food is the 

 exciting cause. 



78013°— Bull. 75—11 4 



