54 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



endocardites yield DO p.c. of positive results. The organisms thus 

 obtained are not of the nature of terminal infection, but are causal 

 elements of the disease. In 77 p.c. of cases streptococci are found ; 

 Pfeiffer's (Bacillus infiuenzcc) in 6 p.c. The streptococci conform to the 

 salivary and fsecal types, defined by Gordon and Houston, and differ 

 little from the saprophytic streptococci of the mouth and intestine ; 

 when isolated from cases of malignant endocarditis they can reproduce 

 the disease when injected intravenously into rabbits, and can be re- 

 covered from the lesions. Similar results can be obtained by injecting 

 saprophytic streptococci, isolated from normal human saliva or fasces. 



New Acid-fast Bacillus.* — G. Basile isolated from a case of 

 gangrene of the lung a non-pathogenic acid-fast bacillus resembling 

 B. tuberculosis in its cultural characters, its morphological aspect, and 

 in its staining reactions. The chief differences were that it was de- 

 colorised a by 2 p.c. alcoholic solution of lactic acid in a few minutes, 

 while Koch's bacillus resisted for half an hour ; it grew readily in 

 broth, or on gelatin or glycerin-agar in 24 hours, and was only feebly 

 and locally pathogenic to guinea-pigs. 



Anaerobic Pseudo-coli Bacillus.f— M. Jimgano isolated from the 

 stools of an infant an essential anaerobe which morphologically might 

 be mistaken for B. coll. In fascal matter and on solid media, it presents 

 itself as a coccobacillus with rounded ends, staining less deeply in the 

 centre. In liquid media bacillary forms predominate. It is easily 

 stained, but not by Gram's method. It is motionless, and forms terminal 

 spores. It does not form gas or indol, nor coagulate milk. When 

 injected into the peritoneal sac of guinea-pigs a definite capsule is 

 developed. It is pathogenic to guinea-pigs, and is very resistant to 

 thermal and chemical action. 



Bacillus parvus liquefaciens.J — M. Jungano describes a new 

 organism which has the following characters : It is an essential an- 

 aerobe, is small, and very polymorphic. It stains with the usual anilin 

 dyes, and is Gram-positive ; in old cultures the organism does not stain 

 uniformly. Other positive characters are : that it coagulates milk, 

 liquefies gelatin, is pathogenic to guinea-pigs, forms acid, and has 

 considerable vitality. 



R. Gee ig- Smith— Opsonisation from a bacterial point of view, and Opsonic 

 Technique. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., xxxiii. (1908) pp. 689-700. 



* Giorn. Internat. Sci. Med. Naples, xxx. (1908) p. 577. See also Brit. Med. 

 Journ., 1908, ii. epit. 341. 



t C.R Soc. Biol. Paris, lxv. (1908) pp. 457-9 (2 figs.). 

 t Tom. cit., pp. 618-20. 



