In the winter of 1991/92 there was an outbreak of parapox infection in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) around the coast of Cornwall. Pups were cared for at a seal rehabilitation centre and the infection occurred in most of them. The presence of parapox virus was confirmed by electron microscopy. The clinical and pathological findings, together with details of the morphology of the virus, are compared with those in previous outbreaks in North America.

Mercury poisoning was diagnosed in four dairy heifers, three of which died. The clinical signs were variable and included salivation, excessive thirst, extreme depression and severe diarrhoea. Postmortem examinations revealed inflammation and ulceration of the alimentary tract, pulmonary and cardiac haemorrhages, pallor of the kidney cortices and perirenal oedema. The kidney mercury concentrations were in the range 58 to 91 micrograms/g wet tissue. It is believed that the animals were poisoned by the ingestion of soil contaminated with mercurous chloride.

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Vet Record Careers vetrecordcareers.com Last summer Lauren Hamstead took part in the Leadership Program for Veterinary Students at Cornell University in the USA, funded by a Wellcome Trust scholarship. The experience is designed for students who want to pursue a career in research, rather than general practice What makes a vet a researcher?