42 MISCELLANEOUS PAPEES ON APICULTUKE. 
Since we know nothing positively about the cause, we can suggest 
very little in the way of treatment. The removal of the stores from 
the hive would tend to remedy the defect if the character of the food 
be an important factor in the etiology. 
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS. 
We have now briefly considered the nature and the etiology of bee 
diseases and have suggested some of the principles upon which the 
methods of treatment must depend if such treatment is to be most 
efficient. If we review what we have just said concerning the 
etiology and treatment of the different diseases, we observe the follow- 
ing facts: 
There is but one disease, American foul brood, of which we know 
absolutely the exciting cause. The cause is a species of bacteria, but 
there are many things concerning the nature, the distribution, and the 
activity of which we do not know. The facts which have been deter- 
mined enable us to suggest some of the principles upon which the 
treatment must be based. Just so rapidly as our knowledge of the 
etiology of this disease increases, so rapidly will we be able to suggest 
principles for the improvement of the methods of treatment. 
In European foul brood we only know positively that the disease 
is infectious, and we can do no better than to use the principles 
gained by the study of American foul brood. As our knowledge of 
the etiology of this disease increases, the methods of treatment will 
be altered. 
In the so-called " pickled brood '' we do not seem to have an in- 
fectious disease. Nothing is positively known of the etiology except 
that the larvas die at approximately the same age in all cases, which is 
about the time of capping. The treatment that is used by some is 
based upon the principle that heredity is an important factor, and 
therefore requeening is resorted to. 
In the disease of adult bees known as " paralysis," practically noth- 
ing is known and practically no treatment is known to be effective. 
It will be noted that in every case the treatment of bee diseases 
is based upon the knowledge of the etiology. There are many things 
of very great importance in the etiology which are yet to be deter- 
mined, but there are many things which are known that, if applied 
by the bee keeper, will prove to be of great value to him financially. 
It is to be hoped, then, that the bee keeper will make himself as fa- 
miliar as possible with the nature of the etiology of bee diseases, since 
it is clear that the better the cause is known the better will be the 
treatment. From this discussion one conclusion can be drawn — that 
in the knowledge of the etiology T of bee diseases lies the hope of their 
control. 
