T30 
Supplement to the Tropical A gricvUurist.''^ [Apkil 1, 1901. 
occurring, •when it will appear suddenly, attricking 
the young stock in rapid succession. The cattle 
are then removed to another locality and the dis- 
ease suddenly ceases. After an absence of one, 
two, or three months these cattle are brought back 
to the infected veld, and in the great majority of 
cases, with perfect impunity, no more cases 
occurring perhaps for many months. These facts 
indicate that there are certain local conditions 
which favour, or otherwise, the development of 
this disease, in addition to the presence of the 
gporea in the soil. It is also very probable that 
the beneficial effect of the change upon the cattle 
themselves renders them less susceptible to the 
action of the spores of the disease when they 
return to the tainted pasture. MM. E. Leclainche 
and H. Vallee give a very clear explanation res- 
pecting the manner in which these influences 
favour or hinder the development of Quarter-evil. 
Tlie conclusions arrived at by these savants are 
supported by a series of carefully-conducted experi- 
ments ; for a description of these see The Journal of 
Comparative Patftoloffy and Therapeutics, vol. xiii., 
parts 2 and 3. They say Quarter-evil is a disease 
in which the infection comes from the soil, causing 
disease only in certain conditions of susceptibility, 
and due to a sporulating organism, It is probable 
that the spore derived from the soil does not reach 
the body charged with toxin, and spores without 
toxin do not kill. The phagocytes — or living 
cells which are present in a.l liealthy tissues, and 
whoSe main function is to absorb and destroy dis- 
ease organisms — triumph rapidly over spores that 
have been deprived of their toxin. But if the 
spores are protected against the phagocytes by the 
properties of the toxin, the spores germinate at 
the place where they have been introduced, and 
infection takes place. The addition to the spore 
of lactic acid, potassium lactate, and the appli- 
cation of some simple traumatic injury will 
produce the same effect as the toxin, in preventing 
the action of the phagocytes on the spores. Spores 
that may safely be given in millions will kill with 
a dose ten times smaller, if one drop of lactic acid 
is added. The harmlessnees of the spore by itself 
is not due to any attenuation of its virulence 
produced by heating or other means which deprives 
it of its toxin ; this is shown by the fact that tlie 
addition of a certain quantity of toxin or lactic 
acid restores its virulence, and the pure spore 
then kills as rapidly as the fresh culture from 
which it was taken. This is clearly shown by the 
fact that if the spores are protected by purely 
mechanical means such as coagulated albumen 
from the destroying action of the phagocyte?, 
they have time to germinate, and the evolucion 
of the disease is only slightly retarded. 
The occurrence of diverse forms of bacteria in 
the tumours of the disease also exerts an action 
that is sometimes favouring and sometimes hinder- 
ing to the development of the disease. Every 
influence, therefore, which is capable of diminish- 
ing the vitality of the tissues and hindering the 
action of the phagocytes will facilitate the develop- 
ment of the spores, and permit them to manifest 
their virulence ; and per contra, every influence 
which tends to increase the vitality of the tissues 
od thereby favours activity of the phagocytes, 
will have a tendency to prevent the development 
of the disease. 
If, however, we admit tlie influence of all these 
local conditions which under certain circumstances 
favour or hinder the development of Quarter-evil, 
are we justified in totally ignoring the temporary 
effects of many of the popular preventive remedies, 
which are artificially applied, because we cannot 
explain how they act? 
POULTRY NOTES. 
Shade is very necessary for poultry in hot 
weather. Heat affects them, and they often die 
by this cause alone, Shelter of some sort must 
be provided. A supply of fresh and clean water, 
which should be well shaded from the sun and 
kept as cool as possible, should always be avail- 
able. There is no need for very large quantities, 
and 6 inch or 8 inch flower pots with u cork in the 
bottom serves the purpose of a water trough ex- 
cellently ; the water is kept cool and the 
evaporation is less than from a dish or pan. 
Green food is a necessary ingredient as a diet for 
poultry, and it is specially so in hot weather as 
it is cooling to the blood. A patch of land should 
be specially devoted to the growth of such food 
for poultry. When no green stuff is available, 
give once a week a small quantity of Epsom 
salts which could be mixed in the water used to 
make up the soft food for the birds. ' 
Young growing fowls should have a liberal diet 
containing plenty of bone-forming material which 
can be provided in the form of ground bone. 
Bone cutters can be purchased for from 30s. 
upwards, and well repay their cost. A good one 
is called "The Mann." This " cut green bone " 
is just what is required for pullets that have begun 
to lay early ; it provides much egg-forming food 
and lessens the drain on the immature system. 
As most people shrink from operations, the fol- 
lovfing method of curing cup-bound fowls (says 
a correspondent in the Queensland Agricultural 
Journal) will be read with interest : — Get a piece 
of window-glass or any ordinary glass and put 
it on the fire till it bends; then take it out and 
plunge it into cold water, when it will crumble 
up quite easily with the tap of the hammer. It 
makes good sharp girt, but it will not injure the 
cup in the least. Give the sick bird Ij tea spoons 
of this and follow up with a teaspoon of salad 
oil. Now start working the cup gently with the 
hand and continue doing so till it is quite pliable 
in every pai-t. Shut the bird up with nothing 
to eat, and if its cup is not empty in twelve 
hours, repeat the dose and keep wit'iout food 
until it is. The secoed dose will not fail. 
BACTERIA AND THE DAIRY. 
{By H. Potts, Dairy Expert, Department 
, of Agriculture, Victoria.) 
Bacteriology, whilst one of the youngest 
sciences, already occupies a prominent place in all 
the laboratories of the world. Pathologists, botan- 
