504: QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [lL Noy., 1901. 
Report or tie Cosarsston APPOINTED BY THE CENTRAL SOCIETY OF 
VETERINARY MEDICINE. 
Mons. Moussu said: Gentlemen, in the course of your last session Mons. 
Noeard explained to you briefly the importance of the investigations carried 
out in Argentina by our colleague, Mons. Ligniéres, on the disease known as 
the “Tristeza.” ({exas fever,parasitic hemoglobinuria of cattle, &c.) He has 
pointed out to you the serious losses amongst horned stock arising from this 
disease, and he has told you furthermore that, as a result of studies and of 
experiments carried on for more than a year, Mons. Lignitres had succeeded in 
discovering a method of vaccination at once very simple in its application and 
absolutely efficacious. 
It is not at all my intention to dwell again on the nature of the disease, 
which is caused by an intra-globular blood parasite, the Piroplasma bigeminum ; 
but I wish to prove what a far-reaching scientific value and what great practical 
interest a discovery such as that of our colleague may possess, for, up to the 
present, not only had no one dreamt of vaccinations in similar diseases, but no 
one had even been able to arrive at the point of cultivating these micro- 
organisms. 
Now, Mons. Ligniéres has solved the two problems. He has cultivated 
the Piroplasma bigeminum, and he has vaccinated subjects against the disease 
which this micro-organism determines. 
A public experiment has already been made with complete success in 
Buenos Ayres. Mons. Ligniéres being desirous of multiplying the proofs of 
his statements, Mons. Nocard proposed that you nominate a commission to note 
the experiments made at the College of Alfort. 
This commission was composed of Messrs. Nocard, Railliet, Mollerean, and. 
your reporter. The inoculations were made in the presence of the commission 
on 15th July, 1900; the members kept the subjects of the experiments under 
observation, and I am here to-day to give you the results which were arrived at. 
Five animals of the Breton breed were experimented on; two of these, the 
cows numbered 1 and 4, had been inoculated with the natural disease by Mons. 
Ligniéres on his return from Argentina. They had resisted the attack, after 
having shown the disease in a mild form, and might be regarded as immune. 
Two others, the cows numbered 2 and 8, had been vaccinated on 5th July without 
having exhibited any symptoms other than a slight rise of temperature (hyper- 
thermia) of short duration. 
Finally, the last, an adult Breton bull, which was intended to serve as a 
control, had not been subjected to any treatment. 
The test inoculation was made on 15th July at 10 a.m.; each subject 
received a sub-cutaneous injection of 5 cubic centimetres of virulent blood. 
The following is what has ha pened since that date :—The two cows, Nos. 1 
and 4, recovered from a first mild attack of the disease, did not indicate the 
least disturbance of their former general condition; the appetite was always 
excellent ; the temperature was perfectly regular, as you will be able to judge 
from an examination of the thermic curves which I place before you.* 
These two animals reacted in no way to the inoculation to which they were 
subjected. 
The twe cows, Nos. 2 and 8, eaccinated, behaved in a manner precisely 
similar to that of the preceding cows. The inoculation had apparently not the 
least effect on them. ‘Their temperature was always regular and normal; the 
proof of this statement lies here in the thermic curves. 
It may then be asserted that the vaccination was perfectly successful, 
since it did not even inconvenience the subjects of the experiment. 
* The plates showing the curves alluded to have not been reproduced, as they are not essential 
to a comprehension of the context.—Ed. Q.A.J. 
