ABSTRACTS 285
(3) Under the conditions of the experiment two injections of toxoid at an interval
of about three weeks gave a better immunity than a single dose. Immu-
nity was evident for at least three months after the second injection. In
a single experiment one large dose of alum toxoid gave a rather better
immunity response than two doses of unprecipitated toxoid and the smaller
amounts of alum toxoid.
The amount of antitoxin developing in sheep treated with toxoid tended to be
greater in animals with higher pre-injection titres. In sheep judged to be adequately
protected antitoxin levels averaging 8 to 24 units per c.c. serum were observed 10 to 20
days after treatment, representing increases of 6 to 15 times the pre-injection, titre.
[V. R. R.]
An insectarium with constant temperature and humidity control, together
with a description of a simplified technique for the rearing of Anopheles
maculipennis var. atroparvus. D. S. BERTRAM AND R. M. GORDON
(1939). Ann. Trop. Med. Parasit. 33, 279
I N the first part of the paper the authors describe the construction and equipment
of an insectarium recently built at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, in which
moisture is supplied by two humidifiers regulated by a humidity control apparatus.
and heat by means of electric heaters provided with thermostats. The room has a
capacity of about 1,000 cubic feet, and did not prove very expensive to construct. The
solar heat that enters through a window is a source of difficulty in this contrivance. It
was found impossible to maintain a constant temperature without the use of blinds, since
sudden rises in temperature of as much as 5°C. (9°F.) occurred on sunny days even in
early summer. It was possible to maintain constantly a relative humidity between 75
and 85 per cent so long as reasonable precautions were taken to see that the door of the
insectarium was not left open unnecessarily. No arrangement is made for reducing
humidity. The room is used for maintaining stocks of various biting insects.
The second part of the paper describes a method for rearing Anopheles maculipennis
var. atroparvus in the insectary. The authors have followed Bate's method in principle.
This consists in making a thick suspension of soil and adding it to the breeding bowl at
frequent intervals. This method is simple and. very successful.
[B. C. B.]
The anterior pituitary lobe hormones in the treatment of ketosis in the
dairy cow. M. G. FINCHER AND C. E. HAYDEN (1940). Cornell Vet. 30, 197
T HE pituitary gland is closely related to the function of the reproductive glands and
the udder. There is a definite relationship between high milk production, poor re-
production and acetonemia.
It has been suggested that one of the functions of the anterior pituitary lobe hormone
(A. P. L.) is to control or regulate the carbohydrate metabolism. Ketosis is believed to
be due to disturbance in carbohydrate—fat metabolism. The primary seat of ketone
body production is the liver and the A. P. L. acts upon the liver and prevents the forma-
tion of ketone bodies.
The writers studied the effect of A. P. L. upon the acetone body content of the blood
and urine in definite cases of acetonemia. The experiment was conducted on seventeen
clinical cases of acetonemia. The quantitative test for acetone bodies in their blood and
urine indicated that these animals showed varying degrees of acetonemia.
The anterior pituitary lobe hormone was administered to thirteen of these cases.
Two animals were administered gonadotropes in the form of gonadin. One of the two
remaining animals received anterior pituitary-like preparation and. the other animal was
administered the anterior pituitary lobe preparation in addition to the anterior pituitary-
like preparation. Additional treatment such as glucose, molasses and chloral was given
to some of these cases.