122 Anmial Report of the Royal Veterinary College. 
Life-history op the Lung AVorm. 
Investigations into the life-history of the lung worm were 
carried on during the greater part of the year. Some lambs which 
were lambed in infected pastures were kept under observation, and 
some of them were killed at intervals of one to six months, but the 
animals were either found to be quite free from any trace of the 
worms, or had the adult parasites in the tubes of the lung. No 
instance has yet been met with in which the worms were becoming 
developed from the embryos. 
Inquiries into Outbreaks op Disease among Farm Stock. 
Congenital Goitre in Lambs .- — A visit was made to Yorkshire 
in March last on account of a fatal disease prevailing in a dock of 
lambs, the produce of a small lot of Masham ewes purchased in the 
preceding autumn. It appeared that in the previous autumn a 
small lot of Masham ewes were purcha.sed and added to the breed- 
ing dock, the whole being kept through the winter and spring 
under precisely the same conditions. Inquiry into the system of 
feeding and general managemeni of the ewe dock brought to light 
no cause inimical to health. The disease was condned to the pro- 
duce of the newly-purchased stock, and presented itself in the form 
of a large swelling extending over the front and sides of the throat. 
In every instance the enlargement was present at birth. Twenty- 
seven lambs in all were affected, and out of these twenty-two died. 
Some succumbed shortly after birth, and dve of the number were 
still alive at the time of visit. In all of them, however, the 
enlargement had much subsided. Examination of the throat 
showed the thyroid gland to be considerably enlarged, and the death 
of the twenty-two animals would appear to have resulted from suf- 
focation arising out of pressure of this swollen organ on the trachea 
and larynx. The ewes themselves were free from disease and had 
not suftered from any ailment during the winter. One of the lambs 
still surviving was sent to the College and kept under observation 
for several months, during which time the throat enlargement 
gradually diminished, but did not altogether disappear. The general 
health of the lamb, however, continued good. In October last 
inquiry was made as to the state of the lambs which recovered, and 
also as to their dams, and both were reported to have continued 
in good health. Two or three of the lambs had then been sold 
fat, and the other lamb was in good health. The lamb received at 
the College was destroyed on October 27. On post-mortem exami- 
nation the thyroid gland was found to be somewhat enlarged, but 
all the other organs of the body were healthy. Heredity appeared 
to be the only assignable reason for the disease. 
Abortion in Cattle . — In September last a request was made by a 
member of the Society for an inquiry into an outbreak of abortion 
