The Dickinson press., 1910-09-17

ANSWERS
&NMM

Answer by e. s. Keene, dean and
professor Of physics and mechanical
engineering. Agricultural college, N.
D.: The smallest satisfactory electric
plant Is n of about two horse power
capacity. Counting ten lamps to the
horse power this will supply cleo
fricity for 20 16-candle power lamps
Question-Will 1t pay to SOW a little
clover with all grains?
Answer by o. o. Churchill, assistant
professor Of agronomy (feld crops).
Agricultural college. North Dakota:
It Will probably pay to SOY about two
bounds Of clover with your wheat and
barley at least. 1t not only keeps the
land in better condition. but increases
the yield Of grain. At this station
when two pounds of clover was seed.
ed with wheat each year, and plowed
under at the usual time of blowing, it
increased the yield Of wheat two BUSH
els per acre. each year, for eight years
that the trial was conducted.
Question-What Is blackleg? How
can It be cured and is it contagious?
Answer by L. Van Els. professor Of
veterinary science. Agricultural col.
1ege, North Dakota: Blackleg is an
acute infectious disease due to the
Introduction and vital activity of the
blackleg bacillus. 1t Is characterized
by evidence of severe acute illness, ac-
companied by swellings Of the mus.
eles Of the limbs and sometimes of
the head and neck, and which are II.
able at a later stage of the disease to
show the formation of gas, as evi.
denced by a peculiar cracking sound
upon rubbing the skin. We do not
know of any cure for blackleg, but
animals exposed to infection can be
efficiently protected from it by the
process of vaccination. The vaccine
used for this purpose is issued free
Of charge by the United States de.
partment of agriculture upon applica,
ton.
Blackleg Is not readily transmitted
from animal to animal, but many ami.
mails may get 1t from the same. source,
and that source is usually the soil, az
blackleg bacillus can maintain its vi.
tally In the soil almost indefinitely.
Question-What Is the t%uberculine
test and the principles Of it?
Answer by l.. Van Els, professor Of
veterinary science, Agricultural col.
lege, North Dakota: The t%uberculine
test consists of the injection into an
animal to be tested Of certain sub
stances formed by the tubercle bacil.
lus when cultivated upon artificial
media. In noninfected animals this
Injection will not be followed by any
noticeable phenomena, but in tuber.
culous animals the injection will be
followed by a decided rise Of tempera.
ture.
This phenomena depends upon the
reaction taking place between certain
substances formed in the tuberculous
animals and the substances injected.
(For further information see North
Dakota Station Bulletin No. IT,
Question. - What diseases are
caused by bacteria?
Answer by T. D. Beckwith, assistant
professor Of b~acteriology and plant
pathology. Agricultural college, North
Dakota: Those which are found most
commonly in human beings, namely:
tuberculosis. typhoid fever, diphtheria,
tonsilitis, common "colds," influenza,
pneumonia. boils, lock-jaw, Asiatic
cholera and other diseases of such ma,
ture. It is also very likely that the
common diseases of children, such al
mumps, measles, scarlet fever, chick.
enpox. smallpox. ETC., are likewise
caused by bacteria. but our methods
for examination are not yet sufficient
~ delicate to demonstrate absolutely
the presence of germs in these dis,
eases.
Question-How is typhoid fever car
r1ed?
Answer by T. D. Beekwith. assistant
professor Of bacteriology and plant
pathology. Agricultural college, North
Dakota: It is carried mainly by wa
ter; to a less degree by contaminated
milk; still to a less degre by flies. Wa
ter which has been contaminated BY
the excrement of some typhoid pa,
tient, If used by some consumer fur
Their down the stream, has the power
to infect that person with typhoid.
After a time the water tends to bel
come purified because the germs set
tie out Of 1t, but this period varies &C,
cording to conditions, consequently
such water is always dangerous and
water which Is suspected to have tn
phoid contamination should be boiled,
and better still should not be used al
all. The milk may become. contain
mated from the hands of the milkeI
If he comes from a family where there
is q case of typhoid fever. and should
the water which is used to wash tho
cans be contaminated and II after
wards the cans r not scalded, the
germs which cause typhoid fever win
be left in the can and the milk, being
excellent food for bacteria, becomes
the factor which causes the infection.
It has been demonstrated also that
flies are often the factor for carrying
typhoid. An epidemic Of typhoid