176 REVIEWS.

Untersuchungen uber das Wesen und die Bekiimpfung der Schweinepest. (Investigations regarding the Nature and Prevention of Swine-fever). Von Professor Dr Uhlenhuth, Dr Hlibener, Dr Xylander, und Dr Bohtz. Sonderabdruck aus "Arbeiten aus dem Kaiserlichen Gesundheitsamte." Berlin, 1908: Julius Sprenger. Price 9 marks.

SINCE the publication of the remarkable researches by Dorset, Bolton, and M'Bryde in 1905, this is the most important work which has appeared on the subject of swine-fever. As is now generally known, the researches carried out in the United States by de Schweinitz and the three authors above named proved that the cause of this disease is an uncultivable and ultra visible virus, and that any of the ordinary or visible bacteria which can be cultivated from the blood or organs of pigs suffering from the disease play only a secondary role. The authors of the present monograph have entirely corroborated the results obtained in the United States (and subsequently in this country), and have proved the complete identity of German schweinepest with American hog-cholera and English swine-fever. In addition, they have added a number of important new facts with regard to the bacteria associated with the disease although not primarily the cause of it. Not the least inter­estingof these is that the so-called swine-plague (schweineseuche) bacteria, which can generally be cultivated from the lung lesions occurring in the course of swine-fever, cannot in such cases be accepted as evidence that the animal was at once affected with two independent contagious diseases. On the con­trary, these swine-plague bacteria are to be regarded as constant but harmless inhabitants of the respiratory passages of healthy pigs, and their pathogenic activity must be ascribed to dimiQished resistance on the part of swine-fever subjects. That is the view which has long been held in this country, 1 and no doubt it will now find general acceptance in Germany also.

The authors naturally discuss the question whether the so-called swine-fever bacilli, although not the primary cause of swine-fever, are the actual cause of the diphtheritic and ulcerative lesions of the intestine. They appear to incline to the view that the ultravisible virus is not responsible for these lesions, and that certainly is the only logical conclusion if, as the authors seem to believe, the swine-fever bacillus is not at all constantly present in the lesions. The question. however, is by no means settled, and there are several facts which can scarcely be explained except on the admission that the swine-fever bacillus is actually responsible for the gross lesions of the disease.

With regard to the question of immunity, it is interesting to note that the German authors have corroborated the observations previously published by Mr Stockman. that the serum of pigs hyper-immunised against swine fever is highly protective. All attempts to obtain such a serum from other animals failed.

Board of Agriculture and Fisheries. Annual Reports of Proceedings under the Diseases of Animals Acts, etc., for the year J907.

As usual, an account of the proceedings of the Board with regard to the occurrence of contagious diseases during the past year is discussed in two reports, one by the Chief Veterinary Officer and the other by the Assistant Secretary of the animals' division. In the first of these swine-fever and anthrax are discussed at greatest length, and many important points in con-

I See this Journal, Vol. X., p. 161.

REVIEWS.

nection with these diseases are touched upon. One of these is the question whether pigs that have completely recovered from swine-fever may fur a time afterwards excrete the virus from their bowels, as is now known to be the case with some human beings who have suffered from typhoid. No definite answer can be given to this question at present, but experiments designed to furnish an answer are now in progress at the Board's laboratory. Under the heading of anthrax further evidence is given pointing to the conclusion that a large proportion of the outbreaks occurring m this country are ascrib­able to infection introduced from without, and not to soil infection persisting from a previous outbreak. Thus, out of a total of 305 confirmed outbreaks there were no fewer than 200 in which, after careful elimination of other causes, the evidence pointed to artificial feeding stuffs or manures as the source of infection.

Both reports are replete with matters of interest, and deserve careful con­sideration by veterinary surgeons who are concerned with the administration of the Contagious Diseases of Animals Acts.

Statistical and General Report of the Army Veterinary Service for 1906.

AN unavoidable delay having occurred in the issue of this report, the pre­paration of it has fallen to the new Director-General, Major-General F. Smith, although the facts on which it is based did not occur during his tenure of office. The report is cast on new lines, and it may without hesitation be said that the alterations in its form are decided improvements and add greatly to its interest as well as its value.

In that part of the report which deals with the army at home, the informa­tion is arranged under the heads of sickness and mortality, health statistics according to commands, health statistics according to branches of the service, health statistics according to age, and wastage. It is somewhat surprising to find that the death rate at home is very little less than that in India, and that the loss from death, destruction, and castings for disease is actually 2'6 per cent. higher at home than in India. The average number of anImals under treatment daily throughout the year was 1146, of which 41'81 per cent. were cases of wounds. In the opinion of the Director·General many of these are preventable, and it is also pointed out that 5~ per cent. constantly under treatment for diseases of the digestive organs is too high a proportion.

The report also contains information regarding the veterinary services in the South African command (reported by Lieutenant-Colonel Blenkinsop) and the army of occupation in Egypt (reported by Major G. M. Williams). The first of these reports contains much valuable information regarding the incidence of such diseases as horse-sickness, epizootic lymphangitis, piro­plasmosis, etc., in South Africa during the year 1906-07.

Essentials of Physiology for Veterinary Students. By D. Noel Paton, M.D., B.Sc., F.R.C.P.Ed., Professor of Physiology, University of Glasgow. Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged. Edinburgh and London: William Green & Sons, 1908.

IN the new edition of this work the text shows few alterations, but it gives evidence of careful revision, and the illustrations have been considerably increased. The facts of general physiology are presented with admirable clearness, but, as a text-book for veterinary students, it still requires some amplification in the parts dealing with the special physiology of the domesticated animals.