164 UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE THE AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL OF THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA VOL. IV.-JULY TO DECEMBER, 1912 Issued by the DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PRETORIA THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING AND STATIONERY OFFICE 1912 The Agricultural Journal OF THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA. Vol. IV. JULY, 1912. No. 1. Issued MONTHLY in English and Dutch by the Department of Agriculture. Communications to be addressed to the Editor, Department of Agriculture, Box 434, Pretoria. Telegraphic Address: "Bulletin, Pretoria." Subscriptions should be posted to the Government Printer, Box 373, Pretoria. Advertising inquiries should be addressed to the Metropolitan Advertising Co., Box 962, Capetown. Facts and Theories about Stijfziekte and Lamziekte. By Dr. ARNOLD THEILER, C.M.G., Acting Director of Veterinary Research. PART III (Continued). THE slight discrepancies may be accounted for when we compare the above analysis with that of a beast which died of debility and which. in other respects, was healthy. In this case the percentage of phosphoric oxide in 100 parts of ash was found to be 39.8, or less than was found to be the minimum in stijfziekte bones. If we remember that stijfziekte in advanced cases causes loss of condition in the animals, due to malnutrition, then we understand the discrepancies in the analysis without accusing the disease of being responsible. A greater discrepancy may, however, be found in the bones actually affected, and this point requires further investigation. Comparing our results with the notes concerning the pica (or licking) disease in Eastern Prussia, we find that in this disease a slight reduction in the quantity of lime salts was also noticed. It was then thought that the supply of these salts in the food would prevent the disease, but it did not, thus showing that the want of the salts was not the cause of the disease. Comparing furthermore the results of our investigations with the information collected about rickets and osteomalacia, we come to a similar conclusion that the disease cannot be due to the want of phosphates. in the foodstuffs, but very likely to some toxine acting on the bony tissue and more particularly on the bone-forming membrane. The inner layers of the periostial membrane of the pedal bone, as well as that of the metacarpal and metatarsal bones are probably chiefly attacked. These being the parts on which the animals' weight is immediately bearing, we understand that they suffer most, and the response to the injury is an inflammatory process with symptoms of laminitis and periostitis. In crotalism we have experimental proof that a certain plant, Crotalaria burkeana, can produce a definite |