82 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Jury, 1899. 
INOCULATION OF TICK-INFESTED CATTLE. 
The above-mentioned uninoculated steers from Rosewood, although tick- 
infested and running in the same paddock with the inoculated cattle, had 
remained free from natural tick fever; and it was thought that, as they had 
shown no symptoms of sickness or elevation of temperature, they might have 
acquired immunity gradually. In order, however, to test this, 8 of the animals 
were, on different occasions, inoculated with proved recovered blood; and in 
every instance each animal gave a distinct temperature reaction, and recovered 
within the usual period of three weeks. 
At the present time one of the remaining uninoculated steers has developed 
symptoms of natural tick fever; but being a young animal it is highly probable 
that he will recover. 
PARTICULARS OF THE FOUR UNINOCULATED AYRSHIRE COWS. 
On Ist September, 1898, I tested with tuberculin the whole of the St. 
Helena herd. Of the 9 animals that reacted 5 were at once.destroyed, while 4 
of the best Ayrshire cows, being in calf, and only having tubercular disease in 
an incipient form, were immediately removed to the Indooroopilly Experiment 
Station several nronths before ticks were introduced to the island for observation 
and experiment. Hach cow calved in due course, and the calves were at once 
taken back to St. Helena, while the cows were kept in a special paddock with 
a pure-bred Shorthorn bull, also affected with tuberculosis. 
Considering that there is a great amount of daily traffic backwards and 
forwards through the various paddocks and enclosures at Indooroopilly, it was 
not long before ticks made their appearance on the St. Helena cows. Moreover, 
it is only reasonable to expect that the progeny of ticks from the inoculated 
cattle and the Inkerman steer attached themselves to and matured on the 
uninoculated cattle, and vice versd. The inoculated cattle and the immune 
Inkerman steer were specially kept for supplying blood, during the last two 
years, for general inoculation purposes between Gladstone and the New South 
‘Wales border. , : 
A FATAL CASE OF ACUTE (NATURAL) TICK FEVER. 
The 4 uninoculated Ayrshire cows remained in excellent condition, but, 
although they have never been free from ticks, the latter were never ver 
numerous ; in fact, more often than not, they were detected with difficulty, 
unless they were subjected to a crush examination. 
__, The results obtained from the inoculation of the Rosewood steers proved 
it was quite evident that the 4 Ayrshire cows were still susceptible to the 
fever, whether produced artificially by inoculation or naturally by the ticks. 
i On Sunday, the 28th May last, one of the cows, named ‘‘ Annie,” afte¥ 
being tick-infested for over 7 months, appeared somewhat drowsy. 
' 81st May, the temperature began to rise. 
1st June, exhibited evident symptoms of sickness, standing about alone 
invariably in the shade. 
2nd June, became worse, refused to eat and ceased chewing the: cud ; 
then laid down with head stretched forward near the ground, the 
ears drooping, and a noticeable staring coat. In the afternoon she 
became worse, the dung being very hard and pelletted, while the 
urine was distinctly red in colour. 
3rd June, about 6 a.m., she laid down and struggled slightly, and then 
commenced to bellow and roar tremendously for about 10 minutes ; 
the temperature, which had been standing at 107 degrees F., gradu- 
ally sank to 96°3 degrees F.—i.e., 5 degrees below the normal—after 
which she died. 
