THE STREPTOTHRICOSES 571 
From commercial shippers of animals, from zoologists 
and naturalists we have reports that wherever kangaroos 
and wallabies are exhibited this disease makes its ap- 
pearance and carries off a considerable percentage of 
the collection. A fully developed case bears a noteworthy- 
resemblance to lumpy jaw, being called '' jaw disease " 
by non-medical observers. However, it is highly probable 
that, while the most conspicuous morbid changes occur 
around the jaw, the agent provocative of the disease is 
capable of causing different pathological effects and that 
certain cases of septicemia and gastroenteritis are due 
to it ; Doctor Blair of New York concurs in this opinion. 
Our study of the problem would inculpate a variety of 
Nocardia, possibly assisted by certain schizomyces. I 
have seen in the literature, but unfortunately cannot lo- 
cate, a reference to an article by a Russian who observed 
the disease and was convinced that its cause is to be found 
in a streptothrix(l) obtainable from the necroses in the 
soft tissues of the jaw, a view entirely in accord with 
our findings. 
The disease is not very communicable because its 
appearance in a pen need not be followed by secondaries 
in the mates of the sick beast. It appears chiefly in newly 
acquired specimens but may develop sporadically in those 
exhibited a long time and apparently not associated with 
recent acquisitions. This suggests two or three possi- 
bilities. It may be imported by new arrivals, or new- 
comers may meet a germ to which they are unaccustomed 
and therefore less resistant, the strange surroundings 
reducing their opposition to it. Old specimens may have 
enough resistance to withstand infection entirely or only 
succumb to large doses. Lastly one comes to the explana- 
tion commonly employed for actinomycosis, the presence 
of the organisms in fodder or pasture, perhaps all the 
( 1 ) This term will be used in the following pa»ps to mention the 
organism since hy many persons it is better known than Xocardia and 
moreover describes the form better. I believe penus Nocardia is the correct 
nomenclature for reasons given on a subsequent page. 
