AN OUTBREAK OF RABBIT SEPTICAEMIA. 
299 
nitis. None of the breeding rabbits recovered, although the 
nasal symptoms improved in some instances. Among the 
stock rabbits a smaller per cent of deaths occurred and a few 
apparently recovered. The disease, however, is of considera¬ 
ble importance, since rabbits, especially adults, once affected 
with it can never be considered safe for some kinds of experi¬ 
mental work. 
Two experiments were made to test the communica¬ 
bility of the rhinitis from one rabbit to another. June 
3, two young rabbits (Nos. 29 and 30) were placed in a pen 
with an adult rabbit that was suffering with rhinitis. July 12th, 
No 29 showed symptoms of rhinitis and July 14th No. 30 was 
affected. July 20th there was a profuse nasal discharge with 
accompanying difficulty in breathing. Temperature normal. 
July 26th rabbit No. 30 was killed for examination. No le¬ 
sions were discovered excepting a thickening of the nasal 
mucosa with a profuse muco-purulent discharge from the 
nasal cavities; cover-glass preparations from the mucosa ex¬ 
hibited polar-stained bacteria. A second exposure was made 
with an adult (old) rabbit. This gave negative results. The 
affected rabbits that were used in the experiments continued 
to suffer from rhinitis. 
The length of time that elapsed after the exposure before 
the young rabbits developed symptoms of the nasal trouble 
and the failure of the adult rabbit to contract the disease after 
a two months’ exposure would indicate that it was not a rap¬ 
idly contagious disease. 
The source of the germ is of much interest and importance. 
A careful bacteriological examination of the material used for 
bedding and food for the rabbits gave negative results. A 
considerable number of healthy rabbits have been examined, 
but thus far the germ has not been found in the normal flora 
of their upper air passages, although bacteria not distinguisha¬ 
ble from it in their biological properties have been found in the 
upper air passages of many of our domesticated animals. In an 
unpublished article* by one of us (V.A'.M.) on “ The pathogen- 
*Bulletin No 8. Bureau of Animal Industry, Department of Agriculture, 
Washington, D. C. 
