Observation on the remarkable stability of transmissible mink encephalopathy virus.

Transmissible mink encephalopathy (TME) virus retained biological activity after prolonged storage in formalin (about three and a half years) and in paraffin tissue blocks used for histologic preparations (about six and a half years). Thus, TME tissues in formalin and in paraffin blocks should be handled as contaminated materials.     

The effect of the administration of Solanum malacoxylon on the chick.

Replacement of the drinking water of chicks maintained on a normal mixed protein diet with an aqueous extract containing the equivalent of 5 g of the dried leaves of Solanum malacoxylon (DLSM) per 100 ml for one month produces a hypercalcaemia (23-49 per cent), hypomagnesamia (28-37 per cent), hypophosphataemia (26-34 per cent), hypouricaemia (29-34 per cent) and a decrease in plasma alkaline phosphatase activity (54-98 per cent). The ash content of the defatted, dried tibiae and the body weight of the DLSM treated chicks were also significantly lower (37-7 per cent and 17-79 per cent respectively) than the corresponding values for the untreated birds. The results obtained are similar to those reported for hypervitaminosis D3 in the chick.