EDITORIAL. 
SHEEP-FLY PARASITES. 
In connexion with the reported discovery by Professor Lefroy, in 
England, of certain new species of parasites which destroy sheep 
blowflies and their pups, the Institute has made inquiries into the 
matter, and has received a cablegram from the High Commissioner’s 
Office, London, stating that Professor: Lefroy believes it will be 
possible to reproduce in Australia natural control of the sheep-fly pest 
similar to that obtaining in Great Britain. | Professor Lefroy has 
four separate sheep-fly parasites under observation, and the indications 
are that at least one is very satisfactory. Three of the parasites are 
stated to be innocuous, excepting in regard to sheep flies, but, as 
regards the fourth, experiments under control are necessary. Further 
experiments are being carried out in England, and it is intended, if 
the results are satisfactory, to obtain sufficient specimens for experi- 
ment in Australia towards the end of the year. The Institute has 
made a grant. of £100 for these purposes, and Dr. Gilruth is keeping 
in touch with the work whilst he is in England. 
CONTAGIOUS ABORTION IN CATTLE. - 
For some time past a considerable amount of valuable investi- 
gational work has been carried out by Professor H. A. Woodruff and 
Mr. H. R Seddon, of the School of Veterinary Science, Melbourne, 
on the subject of contagious abortion in cattle—a disease which causes 
an estimated loss of from- £250,000 to £500,000 annually in Victoria 
alone. The investigations were’ stopped, as Mr, Seddon enlisted, and 
has not yet returned to Australia. He is now undergoing a special 
course of training in England, with a view to continuing the investi- 
gations on his return to Australia. The valuable results which have 
been obtained from these investigations have been due partly to the 
special facilities which exist for the work in Victoria. ‘There is con- 
tagious abortion among a herd on one of the Victorian Department 
of Agriculture’s farms, which carries about 120 head of stock. That 
herd has been in existence for ten or eleven years, and an accurate 
record has been kept of every service, every calving, and every abortion. 
The whole history of the herd is, therefore, on record. <A. similar 
opportunity has probably not occurred to investigators. in other 
countries. The Institute has made a grant of £150, in order to enable 
Professor Woodruff to employ a research scholar to carry out investi- 
gations on two lines of work which will be complementary to the 
continuation of the larger investigations which are contemplated. The 
objects of the work, which is to be started at once, are :— 
1. To discover a method of raising the virulence of the con- 
tagious abortion bacillus, so that its immunizing power 
may be similarly raised. 
2. To determine the effect of “sensitized” living cultures t 
discover— , wily 
(a) Whether they will infect and so produce carriers; 
or 
(b) Whether they will set up an immunity without 
infecting, and so avoid the carrier risk. 
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