1 84 Fungi etc. - Pteridophy ten — Floristik u. Systematik d. Phanerog. 



of tubercular infection can be safely drawn from measurements of agglii- 

 tinizing power. On the other hand the opsonic power of tuberculous 

 patients is sensibly diminished. This is apparently the occasion and not 

 the consequence of infection. In the case of peritoneal infection it 

 appears that a reaction of immunization may be set up by absorption of 

 vaccinating elements from the seat of infection. Inoculation of tubercle- 

 vaccine generally leads to an increased agglutinating power. 



It also leads to a preliminary vegetative phase in opsonic effect 

 followed by an increased positive effect. Measurements of opsonic power 

 distinguish readily between the untreated tuberculous patient and the 

 patient who has made progress in the direction of immunization. 



E. Drabbie (London). 



Wright, A. E. and S. R. DOUGLAS, On the action upon 



Streptococcus pyo genes by hitman blood-fluids and on 



the Elaboration of Protective Elements in the 



human organism in Response to Inociilations of 



a Staphylococcus Vaccine. (Proc. Royal Soc. London. 



Sept. 28, 1904.) 



Normal human blood does not exert any bactericidal action on 

 Staphylococcus, nor do antistaphylococcus inoculations lead to the deve- 

 lopment of bactericidal power in the blood. Immunization against 

 Staphylococcus goes hand in hand with the acquirement of increased 

 phagocytic power. Such phagocytosis is dependent upon an action of 

 the blood fluids on the bacteria — an opsonic effect. An increased 

 phagocytic effect is due not to any modification in the leucocytes but 

 to an increased opsonic effect. Low phagocytic power and Staphylo- 

 coccus-'mltcWon are apparently closely related to one another. The mass- 

 effect on the bacteria of protective substances in the blood — the 

 bacteriotropic pressure — varies in different parts of the organism, and 

 it is in those regions with low bacteriotropic pressure that bacteria can 

 multiply. This has been demonstrated \or Bacillus typhosus, Micrococcus 

 melitensis and Spirillum Obermeyeri. What is true for bacteriolytic and 

 bactericidal substances is true also for Opsonins. Injection of a sterile 

 Staphylococcus-vaccine leads to a fall in phagocytic power, followed by a 

 considerable rise. E. Drabbie (London). 



KÜMMERLE, J. Bela, Adatok a Kaukazus edenyes viräg- 



talan növenyeinek is meretehez. [Beiträge zur 



Kenntniss der Pterldophyten des Kaukasus.] (Annales 



historico-naturales Musei Nationaüs Hungarici. Vol. II. 1904. 



p. 570—573.) 



Der Verf. hat die aus 20 Species und 3 V^arietäten bestehende 

 CoUection von Farnkräutern, Bärlappen und Schachtelhalmen, welche 

 Dr. Ladislaus Hollös gelegentlich der VI. kaukasischen Expedition 

 Moritz Dechy's im Jahre 1898 gesammelt hat, determinirt. Von den 

 im ungarischen Texte aufgeführten Species und Varietäten ist erwähnens- 

 werth Asplenium ruta muraria L. var. heterophyllum Wallr. als neu für 

 die kaukasische Flora. Kümmerle. 



Aterido, D. L., Excursiön botänica per Santander y 



las plantas americanas natura liza das en Espana. 



(Bol. de la Soc. esp. de Hist. nat. T. 111. n^ 8. 1903.) 



Dans une excursiön faite au mois d'aoüt dans les environs de 

 Santander, Mr. Aterido a recolte une graminee d'origine americaine 

 pas encore enumeree parmi les especes naturalisees en Espagne. 



