N6v. 2, 1903.] Supplement to tite " Tropical AgmulturisV 
present in the plaut as such, origiuates through 
Che action of a .specific enzyme on a corresponding 
giucoside. It is needless for us to go fully into 
tlie details of the elaborate experiments thac - ere 
carried out by the two workers referred to ; sulBce 
it to say thaD they have also proved to their 
satisfaction the presence of an enzyme in the 
Sorghum capable of furnishing prussic acid from 
the corresponding giucoside. 
We quote the concluding portion of the report 
on this interesting subject : — 
"Besides lotusia and dhurrin, the glucosides 
we have isolated from young plants of Lotus 
■ arabicus and Sorghum vulyare respectively, only 
rOne other cyogenetic giucoside is definitely 
known — that is, theamygdalin derived from bitter 
almonds, which, however, is found in the seeds of 
the plaut, 
"The results of our investigations have rendered 
it probable that the production of prussic acid 
la a number of other plants may be associated 
with the presence of cyanogenetic glucosides. 
Moreover, the question of the occurrence of prussic 
acid, and the part played by it in vegetable 
metabolism, involves problems of the first im- 
portance in vegetable physiology, with which we 
intend to deal when we have obtained a further 
insight into the nature of other cyanogenetic 
glucosides now under investigation. So far as 
Lotus arabicus and Sorghum vulgare are concerned, 
it would appear that the existence of a cyano- 
genetic giucoside in the young plant up to the 
period when the seeds ripen at any rate may 
sdrve as an important protection to the plant 
ftom the attacks of animals. It appears that 
animals indigenous to the countries in which 
these plants are native refuse to eat them in 
the earlier and poisonous stages of growth. The 
part played by the giucoside in the general meta- 
bolism of these plants, and the origin and fate 
of the cyanogenetic group, still remain to be 
ascertained. The temporary presence in a plant 
of a considerable quantity of a cyanogenetic 
giucoside, together with an enzyme capable of 
decooiposiug it, appears to us to be a fact which 
must have an important biological meaning. 
" As so much interest attaches to the subject 
from several points of Tiew^ we are engaged in 
investigating the constituents of other plants 
which furnisli prussic acid. Among them we may 
mention Phaseolus lunatus (seeds), Iiotus australis, 
Manihot utUissima, and Linum usitatissimum, as 
well as a number of little known plants, derived 
from the colonies, which have proved to be 
poisonous to cattle, some ol which may contain 
cyanogenetic glucosides. From the chemical point 
of view it is important, in tlie first instance, 
to isolate these glucosides and to ascertain their 
properties, composition, and molecular structure. 
This work we Jiave now accomplished with the 
r glucosides of Lotus arabicus and Sorghum vulgare, 
1 which are shown to be radically different in 
'•chemical constitution, whilst each belongs to a 
. type chemically distinct from that 6f amygdaline 
the only naturally occurring cyanogenetic glucosid, 
Jiitherto . definitely known," 
•yjubvi lo 'i t ,v ■ 
REPORT OF THE GOVEJiNMENT VETERIN- 
ARY SURGEON FOR 1902. 
This report which is now published sepiirntely 
begins with a reference to Contagious and Infec- 
tious Diseases in Cattle, and it is state;! that 
throughout the year there was cr^mparatively 
little disease of this nature. Indeed there was a 
marked absence of Rinderpest in most of the 
provinces, and only in the Sabaragamuwa and 
Southern Provinces were there any deaths from 
this scourge. But we read of another form of 
contagious disease instead, namely what the Colo- 
nial Veterinary Surgeon describes as either a form 
of rinderpest or a similar disease known as 
hsemorrhagic sapticoemia — -an extremely fatal 
malady, which is thus reported upon : — 
Hcemorrhagic Septiccamia {described by Blin and 
Carowgean inlndio-China). — The symptoms of this 
disease closely resemble those of rinderpest. 
They develop suddenly ; these is fever, quickened 
respiration, dullness, loss of appetite, discharge 
from nostrils (at first thin, afterwards becom- 
ing thick and yellowish in colour), tears flow 
from the eyes, and the skin around and under 
the eyes may become sore, diarrhoea occurs 
becoming dysentric, cough is usually present. 
The rate of mortality is great. It appears to 
be most severe in buffaloes. 
In the cases in the North-Central Province 
swelling of the throat was described by the 
Inspector, and numbers of wild animals and 
a horse or two showing oedematous swellings 
died, which leads to the conclusion that the 
disease was not true rinderpest. It is hard to 
distinguish from rinderpest, but there are a few 
points which may help to diagnose. It usually 
attacks buffaloes more than other cal;tle : it does 
not become so widespread as rinderpest ; the 
outbreaks are usually of a sporadic form sooner 
than epidemic ; and there may be soft kind 
of dropsical swellings (oedematous) usually in 
the loose skin under the throat and neck. 
The postmortem symptoms are much the 
same as rinderpest, the main difference des- 
cribed being the pulmonary lesions. In rinderpest 
the lungs are usually whiter than normal and 
spongy (but congestion may be present). In 
hcemorrhagic septicoemia congestion is described 
as red brown patches surrounded with infiltra- 
tion of serum, these may be collections of pus 
in the long tissue, and if of some standing the 
pus may be in a state of caseification. In both 
diseases bronchial tubes may be congested and 
ulcerated, with deposits of lymph. The lesions 
in the digestive tract are much the same ia 
both discuses. 
The following interesting statement is takea 
from the body of the report ; — ^"The total number 
of cattle for the whole island is 1,398,20U, and 
the number of deaths reported from all dise.ises 
9,237, giving a percentage of "6 per cent." 
The small horse-breeding establishment on 
Delft Island numbers 78 animals in all -mareai 
stallions and foals. 
