1 Noy., 1897.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 407 
By the light of such results, the prospects of inoculation for tick fever— 
and of the method of inoculation with recovered blood particularly—ean 
hardly be regarded as otherwise than extremely promising. The basis of 
definitely established experimental evidence is, still, too small to warrant more 
than this. Quite a considerable number of experiments have, however, been 
instituted, by various stockowners, since those above referred to were carried 
out. Some of these have been of a small and tentative kind. Others have 
been carried out on what may be called a commercial scale. In some instances 
two, and even three, hundred cattle have been inoculated at one time; and 
on one station® alone more than 2,000 head have been already treated. It 
may probably be quite safely said that not less than 3,000 head of cattle have 
been so far subjected to this process in the North. Further inoculations are 
also being carried out in the Southt, on behalf of the gentleman to whose 
persistent energy is chiefly due whatever improvement there is in the present 
outlook for Queensland cattle. Such experiments are of peculiar interest and 
value, because they have been undertaken undera great variety of conditions in 
respect to locality and climate, and also in reference to the state and antece- 
dents of the animal supplying the blood, and of those inoculated with it. Many 
of these experiments have, so far as they have gone, given promising results. 
Thus, in one of the most recent of these experiments, no less than 261 
head out of 286 mixed cattle, inoculated with recovered blood, showed obvious 
fever in consequence. Three out of the whole number operated upon have 
died. Four more are still, at the time of writing, in a precarious condition. 
The rest have recovered. ; 
The efficacy of the inoculation, in all these extensive trials by private 
individuals, ha’s still to be tested. Such trials, it is needless to say, have not 
been undertaken solely for experimental purposes; and the crucial test will 
only be applied by contact with the advancing wave of virulent disease. ° 
Judging from the evidence already before us, however, there seems small 
reason to doubt that a very materially diminished mortality will reward those 
who—instead of vaguely hoping for protection by the hand of some Deus ew 
machina in the shape of some accidental circumstance, as elevation, soil, salt- 
bush, climate, constitutional peculiarities of cattle, or the like—have set 
themselves betimes to ward off disaster with a hypodermic syringe. 
As to the technique of inoculation with recovered blood, concerning which 
inquiries are so frequently made, it may be at once said that there is practically 
no technique at all. All that is necessary is to draw blood from a suitable 
animal, and inject it under the skin of such as it is desired to protect. A 
little mother-wit and a suitable hypodermic syringe are all that are really 
needed. Most practical stockmen can bleed a beast without special directions. 
They can also catch the blood, and prevent it from clotting in the containing 
vessel, by stirring it steadily with a twig till all the clotting part (fibrin) sticks 
to the twig—that is to say, till the blood is “defibrinated.” A piece of 
mosquito curtain makes a capital strainer to get rid of any remaining bits of 
clot that might cause trouble afterwards by blocking up the needle of the 
syringe. There is then absolutely no difficulty in injecting as much of this 
“defibrinated” blood as may be desired, under any part of the animal’s skin 
that may be found convenient, and where there is plenty of loose skin. 
Practice will make perfect in detail. Elaborate instructions tend only to make 
what is really a very simple matter appear rather an intricate and formidable 
undertaking. ‘Io have seen the inoculation performed is to be a master of the 
art, so simple is the actual doing of it. 
From what has been so far outlined, it is evident that both the theory and the 
practice of inoculation with “recovered blood” are comparatively simple matters. 
There remain, however, several questions of practical importance in connection 
with the subject which are still surrounded by much uncertainty, and to some 
of these it may be of interest to refer. 
* Mount Pleasant, in Bowen District. + At Mundoolun, on the Logan. 
