ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 93 



they are without significance. In the milk from sis healthy cows and 

 three cases of mastitis, diphtheroid bacilli were met with, but were 

 probably of no significance. 



Considering the presence of leucocytes in milk, the author found 

 they varied in number within very wide limits, independent of the age 

 of the cow, the number of calves, the period since calving, and the stage 

 of pregnancy; but present or past mastitis causes a high count of 

 leucocytes. 



Pyogenic Cocci.*— F. W. Andrewes and M. H. Gordon agree with 

 other observers in failing with Wright's capillary pipette method to obtain 

 evidence of any bactericidal effect exerted upon Staphylococcus pyogenes 

 aureus (1) by human blood ; (2) by normal and immune rabbit's 

 blood ; (3) by normal and immune horse serum ; or (4) by normal 

 horse serum in the presence of living leucocytes. 



The authors find that S. pyogenes aureus rapidly perishes at 37° C. 

 in distilled water, tap- water, or in water containing salts or organic 

 substances incapable of serving as nutriment for the cocci ; but that 

 the addition of a trace of proteid material permits survival and multi- 

 plication of cocci, which is apparent within two hours. By exposing 

 8. pyogenes aureus to normal rabbit's blood, a marked bactericidal 

 action was noted during the first few hours of contact, but which was 

 exhausted by the end of 3 to 4 hours ; the action was more marked 

 with immune rabbit's blood. Previous exposure for half an hour 

 to 55-56° C. diminishes this action. By previously saturating the 

 defibrinated rabbit's blood with killed cocci, the bactericidal substance 

 was removed. Similar results were obtained by using serum in place of 

 blood, and also by employing human blood and human serum. 



Micro-organisms in Sewer Air.f — F. W. Andrewes finds that 

 streptococci, isolated from drain air, correspond biologically with those 

 of sewage, and only to a slight extent with the streptococci abounding 

 in fresh air ; the type of streptococci most abundant in fresh air are not 

 found in the air of sewers and drains. The author has also shown that 

 the bacilli of the colon group, obtained from drain air, correspond 

 biologically with those of sewage, and can only rarely be isolated from 

 fresh air. 



When cultures of Bacillus prodigiosus were added to the contents of 

 drains under suitable conditions of splashing, the organism can be 

 recovered from the drain air at distances of 50 feet and 390 feet from 

 the point at which they were added to the sewage. 



The author concludes that under certain circumstances sewage may 

 give up its bacteria to sewer air. 



Micro-organisms and Rheumatic Fever.J — T. J. Horder finds that 

 in cases of rheumatic fever, no micro-organisms can be grown in 

 cultures made from the blood during life, or from the heart-blood, 

 endocardial vegetations, pericardial and pleural exudates in fatal cases ; 

 that in most cases film preparations are negative. 



Cultures, made during life, from the blood in cases of malignant 



* Rep. Local Govt. Board, 1906-7, p. 141. 

 f Torn, cit., p. 183. J Tom. cit., p. 279. 



