174 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Proteus vulgaris.*— A. Bertbelot has examined a large series of 



strains of Proteus vulgaris, obtained from cases of infantile diarrhoea, 

 chronic intestinal inflammation, putrid meat, etc., for the purpose of 

 clearing up several disputed points with regard to the differential charac- 

 teristics of the organism. 



With regard to the question of gram-staining, he is of opinion that, 

 provided the test is carried out strictly by the method of Gram-Nicolle, 

 a negative result is invariably obtained. In reviewing the question of 

 the action of the organism on carbohydrates, he has ascertained that all 

 races of Proteus vulgaris, whatever their origin, at the end of ten days at 

 37° C. produce acid in media containing glucose, galactose and saccharose, 

 while those containing lactose or mannite are left neutral or take on an 

 alkaline reaction. Under all conditions of growth Proteus vulgaris pro- 

 duces phenol. With regard to the disputed question of indole production, 

 which is complicated so much by a consideration of the reagents employed 

 and of the chemical composition of the medium in which the organism 

 is grown, after a series of very careful experiments in which the greatest 

 care was taken to exclude all fallacies, the conclusion is arrived at that 

 not only does the indole reaction of this organism vary as between 

 different strains, but that different results may be obtained even with 

 cultures from the same race. It thus appears that the absence of indole 

 in cultures of this organism cannot be used as a basis for differentiation 

 from allied organisms. 



Contribution to the Study of the Gonococcus.-f— P. Forgeot, 

 working in the laboratories of M. Morax, lias isolated an atvpical 

 Gonococcus from a case of gonorrhceal ophthalmia, which possesses the 

 faculty of fermenting maltose, galactose and dulcite, as well as dextrose. 



In its capacity to ferment maltose it thus resembles the meningococcus, 

 but, however, when tested against a meningococcus serum it completely 

 fails to agglutinate. 



When inoculated into guinea-pigs, the post-mortem appearances 

 presented were typical of gonococcus infection. 



Bacteriology of Gas Gangrene.J— A. Santory and L. Spillmaun, 

 from observations conducted at the Military Hospital at Nancy on 

 wounded French and German soldiers, are in a position to confirm the 

 statements . of Weinberg, Doyen, and Yamanouchi as to the finding of 

 Bacillus perfringens (Bacillus Welch ii) in the pus from gangrenous 

 wounds, and of the important role that this organism plays in the 

 etiology of gas gangrene occurring in actual warfare. 



On four occasions they also isolated a lanceolate diplococcus, the 

 biological properties of which are at present under investigation. 



Classification of Bacillus Welchii.§— J. P. Simonds has investi- 

 gated numerous strains of bacteria belonging to the Bacillus Welchii 

 group, and is of opinion that the fermentation reactions in and the 



* Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xxviii. (1914) pp. 839-65. 

 t Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xxviii. (1914) pp. 879-84. 

 X Comptes Eendus, clx. (1915) pp. 210-11. 

 § Journ. Infect. Diseases, xvi. (1915) pp. 31-4. 



