Show I Control of Bee Disease Is Seen American Foul-Brood Foul Can Be Controlled by Water- Water a Solution Prepared by the United States Department of or Agriculture Widespread interest has h been en aroused throughout the beekeeping In Industry Industry industry In- In by the apparent success of some recently discovered cred disinfectant methods In the treatment and control control control con- con of American foul DIsinfectants Disinfectants Disinfectants such as ns an alcohol solution are being used with fair success success success suc suc- cess and eliminate to a n great extent extent extent ex ex- tent the Ule large losses previously caused by the lie necessary destruction of all uti combs Infected with this disease disease dis dis- ease of at the brood of bees The use of the alcohol solution as a disinfectant is a u step In In advance In the control of the disease dis- dis ease says the United States Department Department Depart Depart- ment of Agriculture but apparently there Is still room for Improvement which will eliminate e the danger dang of oc occasional oc- oc cases of failure For that oC I reason and because of the great In Interest Interest Interest In- In terest In the subject the bee hee culture laboratory started I preliminary work early in 1024 for the purpose of makIng making making mak mak- ing an study of the efficiency effi em- clency of various disinfectants Including Including in including In- In the commercial forma alcohol lin solution as well as' as water solutions Results of Tests A discussion of the results of the tests completed to date has been heen published published pub pUb- In Department Circular which Is now read ready for distribution It was hoped that the results of the investigation by laboratory methods metho s would form a basis for practical work In the apiary As the work has developed developed de de- eloped numerous difficulties have been heen encountered which indicate that the problem of the perfect sterIlIzation sterilization sterilization tion of American foul-brood foul combs Is neither simple nor yet full fully solved The results obtained with various dilutions of alcohol and und of a alcohol alcohol- solution as the carrier carlier for 20 per cent of their volume of are not sufficiently complete to warrant warrant warrant war war- rant conclusions as to their relative efficiency All of these solutions are unsatisfactory In that they do not completely complete sterilize all sealed cells In 48 hours A 20 per cent solution of in water without alcohol is slightly less efficient than the al alcoholic alcoholic al- al coholic solutions In sterilizing in 48 hours the contents of s sealed aled cells because because because be be- cause of its Us failure to penetrate many of the capping's but hut It sterilizes all ap open cells In that period Satisfactory Results In view of the cultural results obtained obtained ob ob- ob- ob tamed however a 20 per cent solution I ton tion of in water ater was found the most satisfactory disinfectant for sterilizing Infected combs with regard both to germicidal action and low cost provided the proper precautions are taken All honey should be extracted extracted extracted ex ex- all brood should be completely removed remo and the combs should be treated at least twenty twenty- four hours or fort forty eight ei ht hours if it itIs itIs itIs Is found desirable to wash them In water after treatment Care must be taken not only with the process of disinfecting combs In Infected Infected infected In- In with American foul-brood foul no matter what solution or method metho is used but equal or greater care must be exercised in the treatment of the diseased colonies themselves to eliminate eliminate nate the Ue danger of recurrence of disease disease disease dis dis- ease from that source The successful successful success success- ful sterilization of the combs will otherwise be of little avail A copy of the circular ma may be secured secured secured se se- cured as long as the time supply lasts by writing to the United States Department Department Depart Depart- ment of Agriculture Washington D D. D C. C |