520 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



Rev. Thomas Powell. It destroys the bread-fruit trees and 

 the so-called chestnut. The natives believe that an antidote 

 to its ravages exists in the liliaceous plant Crinum asiati- 

 cum, which they plant between the trees liable to be affect- 

 ed. A Dr. W. Zopf, of Berlin, advertises a series of models 

 to illustrate ergot, the rust in grain, the potato-rot, and the 

 vine mildew. They are of a size to be used in lecture dem- 

 onstrations. 



Bacteria. 



The work by Naegeli, entitled "Die niedrigen Pilze," pub- 

 lished late in 1877, but not widely distributed until 1878, is 

 important in a sanitary point of view. Although no new 

 facts are brought forward with regard to the development 

 of particular species of bacteria, yet the subject is well treat- 

 ed from a theoretical standpoint. He divides the lower fungi 

 into Sp7*osspilze, Sehimmelpilze, and Spaltpilze. The former 

 group, including yeast, produce fermentation, as the alcohol- 

 ic fermentation, but do not cause disease in animals at least 

 not malarial or contagious diseases. The Schimmelpilze act 

 slowly and produce mouldiness, but do not cause disease in 

 animals. All malarial and contagious diseases, if produced 

 by any living organisms, which Naegeli strongly maintains is 

 the case, must be caused by the Spaltpilze or Schizomycetes. 

 He does not, however, believe that enough is known by sci- 

 entific men to warrant the assertion that certain diseases are 

 produced by definitely known and named species of bacteria. 

 He does not agree with Cohn in this respect, and he main- 

 tains that in the classification of Schizomycetes proposed by 

 the latter are included forms not at all nearly related to 

 bacteria, but which belong to plants of a much higher order. 

 In fact, Naegeli, as opposed to Colin, is inclined to regard 

 many of the so-called species of Schizomycetes as merely dif- 

 ferent conditions of the same species differently affected by 

 external forces. It must be observed, however, that Naegeli's 

 objections are supported rather on theoretical and specula- 

 tive grounds than on any published observations which lie 

 has made; while, on the other hand, Colin and his co-worker, 

 Dr. Koch, have given to the public detailed accounts of their 

 observations, which tend to show that organisms which pro- 

 duce certain contagious diseases can be specifically defined. 

 The work of Naegeli is mainly occupied with considerations 



