256 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JouRNAL. [1 Szpr., 1897, 
Method of Destroying Rabbits with the Microbes 
of Chicken Cholera. , 
By CG. J. POUND, 
Government Bacteriologist, Brisbane. 
From practical experience the following has been found to be the most satis- 
factory method of destroying rabbits by means of microbes of chicken- 
cholera :— 
Trap from 20 to 50 live rabbits, and keep them in a large cage constructed 
so that they cannot possibly escape. 
Inoculate 2 of the caged rabbits in the following manner :— 
Secure the rabbits and make a small incision with a pocket-knife through 
the skin of the back, then take one of the small tubes of infected broth, and, 
after having broken off both ends, insert one end through the incision and 
gently pass it along for about 1 inch immediately under the skin, and then 
carefully blow out the contents. 
It is desirable to point out that there is no danger whatever in carrying 
out this operation, even should the contents of the tube be drawn by mistake 
into the mouth, as the microbes of chicken- cholera are absolutely harmless to 
human beings. 
Having inoculated the two rabbits, they are returned to their cage. In 
from 14 to 24 hours either one or both will be found dead from chicken cholera. 
As the virulent microbes grow very freely in the dead body of the inoculated 
animal, it is advisable to remove the rabbits immediately after death and keep 
them from 4 to 6 hours in a cool and shady place. Afterwards inoculate 2 
more rabbits by making an incision, as in the first instance, and introduce 
under the skin by means of a pocket-knife a little blood taken from the edge 
of the liver of one of the dead rabbits. 
The inoculated rabbits are then returned to their cage. 
The next step is to utilise the microbes, which have been cultivated in the 
dead inoculated animals, for destroying rabbits un the sand hills in open 
country. 
This is carried out as follows :-—Open both the dead rabbits and remove 
the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and any blood which may have escaped during 
the operation from the larger bloodyessels, into a bucket, and thoroughly mash 
them up with about a quart of water; then add 1 gallon more water and about 
half-a-bushel of pollard to make a fairly stiff paste ; when thoroughly mixed, it 
is distributed in the form of pellets, about the size of marbles, in and around 
the rabbit burrows. ; 
The next day, the second pair of inoculated rabbits will be dead, when, 
after inoculating a third pair, the process of removing the internal organs, 
mixing them with pollard and distributing the same over fresh sand hills, is 
again repeated, and so on, until the entire stock of caged rabbits is used up, 
when a fresh start with another lot of trapped rabbits may be commenced in 
another locality. 
