“ WOOLSORTERs' DISEASE/’ 
585 
6. “ The coagulum produced by boiling a septinous fluid 
is more virulent than the fluid itself.” Eleven hours' boiling 
does not destroy the poisonous properties of such a fluid; a 
watery extract of the residue of such a fluid evaporated to 
dryness has an intense toxic effect. 
7. The poison (septine or sepsin) of some of these fluids 
may be made to combine with acids so as to form salts, which 
latter retain all the toxic properties of the original fluid. # 
8. The living tissues, under the influence of a chemical 
irritant (iodine or ammonia), may secrete a virulent fluid, 
capable of communicating disease from animal to animal. 
Mr. Lewis concludes “that the living tissue elements of 
the body itself play a much more important part in the 
elaboration of septinous and allied poisons than what has of 
late been ordinarily ascribed to them/’— Journ . of the Uoy . 
Mic. Soc, 
“WOOLSOftTERS’ DISEASE” AND BLOOD-POISONING IN 
CATTLE. 
We are indebted to Mr. Horner, of Keighley, for the 
following particulars, taken from a local paper, relative to 
the connection existing between the “ woolsorters’ disease 
and blood-poisoning in cattle ” : 
“During the past few days fresh testimony has been afforded 
of the virulent character of the poison, the effects of which 
produce such dire results in what is known as f woolsorters’ 
disease/ Several weeks ago a cow belonging to Mr. Walter 
Dunlop, of the Grange, Harden, died from causes not clearly 
understood at the time, but upon which recent circumstances 
have thrown some light. Since then two sheep belonging 
to Mr. Dunlop have been found dead in the pastures grazed 
by the defunct animal, and on Wednesday, June 80th, a 
fine heifer, which had also been pastured upon the same 
ground, died. 
“ On Tuesday the last-named animal was observed by the 
herdsman not to be f cudding/ i. e . ‘ chewing the cud, 
otherwise it seemed not to be ailing. Towards evening, 
however, after being housed in the shed, a manifest indis¬ 
position was observable, and Mr. Horner, veterinary suigeon, 
Keighley, was sent for. Every attention was paid to the 
* The possibility that the non-living contagium indicated in § | 5, 6, and 
7, may itself be a result of organic action, should not be lost sight or. 
