300 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



disks measuring as much as T4V5 of an inch, the smallest of 

 those enumerated ( Clupea harengus) being g^g-g of an inch. 

 Although the dimensions of the corpuscles are generally pret- 

 ty constant in the same species, there is yet considerable va- 

 riation in species of the same genus, as may be seen in the 

 case of the herrings, the pilchards, for instance, showing 

 disks -^YS-^ of an inch in diameter. 11 ^,1872, 833. 



PECULIAR BODIES IX THE BLOOD OF FEVER PATIENTS. 



According to Obermeier, the blood of persons laboring un- 

 der relapsing fever contains peculiar filiform bodies, which 

 exhibit very active spontaneous movements. A drop of 

 blood extracted from such a patient, and mounted as usual, 

 with the necessary precautions, presents these bodies among 

 the corj^uscles when magnifying j)Owers of 400 to 900 are 

 employed. They appear as extremely delicate threads, of 

 the thickness of a fibrine filament, and of the great length of 

 from one and a half to six times the diameter of a red blood 

 corpuscle, or more. Several of the bodies may be seen on 

 the field at once ; and so long as the preparation is fresh, 

 they exhibit active movements, not only changes of form, 

 waving, and alternately coiling and uncoiling, but also 

 changes of locality, by which they slowly or suddenly es- 

 cape from the field of view. Altogether the movements re- 

 mind one of spermatozoa. Hitherto Obermeier has found 

 these filaments during the fever only, and shortly before or 

 during the crisis, not in the interval. Sometimes they are to 

 be seen one day and not the next. He could not find similar 

 bodies in the blood of healthy persons, nor of persons suffer- 

 ing from other diseases. Of their nature he will not yet give 

 a decided opinion. 



DIGESTION OF NON-NITROGENOUS FOOD. 



The distinguished physiologist, Brticke, has been making 

 some investigations upon the substances produced in the di- 

 gestion of the non-nitrogenous constituents of food, ordinarily 

 called carbohydrates. He distinguishes, in the first place, 

 between the dextrine which is colored red by iodine and that 

 which is not colorec' at all by this reagent ; calling the former 

 erythrodextrine, and the latter achrodextrine. Commercial 

 dextrine, made by roasting raw starch, is a mixture of ery- 



