SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
THE CATTLE TICK IN AUSTRALIA. 
A new Bulletin, No. 13 (40 pages), on “The Cattle Tick in Aus- 
tralia,” has been issued by the Institute of Science and Industry, and - 
replaces No. 1, which is now out of print. It contains all the essential 
matter.of No. 1, but brings the information on the subject up-to-date. 
No less than six appendices are included, whi¢h summarise the recom- 
mendations, reports, and results of various Commissions, Conferences, 
and investigations since 1916. A coloured plate well illustrates all the 
stages in the life history of the tick. 
The text carefully distinguishes between two forms of tick affection 
—(1) Tick Infestation or Tick Worry, due to the worrying attacks of 
a few thousand ticks biting ‘the animal, probably injecting a toxin, and 
sucking the blood. Various forms of inflammation, ulceration, and 
gangrene may be produced, with accompanying symptoms of fever, 
anemia, and exhaustion. ‘This appears to be the most prevalent form 
of tick trouble in Queensland. Horses at pastttre also suffer from this 
form.. (2) Tick Fever, due to the transmission, chiefly by the larval 
- tick, of a protozoan known as Babesia (commonly called Piroplasma) 
bigemina. - 
An historical account, with two maps, briefly describes the intro- 
duction and spread of the tick itself in Australia. It reached Australia 
in Asiatic cattle imported from Batavia 1872, and spread east to 
Queensland, and west to Western Australia, reaching Derby 1916. It 
reached Glencoe, Queensland, 1880-81; Longreach, 1895; east to Bris- 
bane, 1899. It was kept out of New South Wales until 1906, when it 
crossed at Tweed Heads and reached as far as Kyogle in 1909. There 
were two isolated outbreaks of tick fever in New South Wales in 1916 
and 1917. It thus occurs from Kimberley district, Western Australia, 
foun the north of Australia, through Queensland to the Richmond 
iver. 
Next in order follow an account of tick fever and the life history 
of the tick. 
Tick fever, known by various names—Red Water (Australia, 
Britain, Canada), Bovine Malaria (Europe), Tristeza (South America), 
is a specific disease of cattle caused by a protozoan parasite, which passes 
part of its life in the tick, and part in the red blood corpuscles of 
cattle. The influence of factors like age, sex, condition, season, &c., 
upon the symptoms of tick fever has long been recognised. Calves 
are proof against it; adult bulls very susceptible. The fever is most 
acute in summer, and dry seasons accentuate the mortality. 
The various symptoms are carefully enumerated, and methods of 
treatment and protection discussed. 
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