390 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Schizophyta. 

 Schizomycetes. 



Coccobacillus of Locusts.* — The causal organism of locust disease 

 was first isolated by F. d'Herelle iu Mexico, in 1911, from the bodies 

 of the common New World locust {Schistocerca americana). The present 

 papers embody the results of his investigations carried out in the 

 Argentine on behalf of the G-overnment of that Eepublic, both with 

 regard to the etiology of the disease, and the possibility of producing 

 massive infections, in locust districts, by means of infestations with 

 virulent bacilli. After a variable period the contents of the chyle-stomach 

 of an insect, either naturally or experimentally infected, are observed to 

 liquefy and become blackish in colour ; the liquefaction extends to the 

 gut, and soon the characteristic diarrhoea becomes evident. The animal 

 finally dies in a comatose condition, supervening on a convulsive stage. 

 The specific micro-organism, Coccobacillus acridiorium, is present in 

 almost pure culture in the intestines ; it can also be observed in sections 

 taken from any part of the body — thus revealing the presence of septi- 

 caemia. 



The organism is a short, slightly ovoid bacillus, showing marked 

 pleomorphism and bipolar staining. It is stained readily by ordinary 

 anilin dyes, and is Gram-negative. It possesses flagella and is actively 

 motile. Young cultures on agar are circular and waxy in appearance. 

 The organism does not liquefy gelatin, coagulates milk and renders it 

 alkaline, and ferments glucose, levulose, maltose, and galactose. It is a 

 facultative anaerobe. The virulence of the bacillus can be exalted by 

 experimental passage through locusts, so that death can be produced 

 within 8 hours of inoculation. At its maximum exaltation (under 

 natural conditions) 01 c.cm. can produce death in 3 hours. Although 

 the organism possesses great vitality (living lor two years at room tem- 

 perature), it loses its virulence with extreme rapidity on ordinary media. 

 Positive-agglutination experiments have been conducted with immune 

 serum obtained from rabbits inoculated with the coccobacillus. 



Intestinal Flora of Bats.| — Mdlle. Tsiklinsky has investigated the 

 intestinal flora of the native bats of Russia (Vespertillo, Vesperugo, 

 Phcotus, and Myotis daubentonia), and confirms the statements of 

 Metchnikoff and Distaso regarding the paucity of bacteria found in the 

 intestines of such animals. On account of the very rapid process of 

 digestion met with among bats, bacteria have but little opportunity 

 of development in the alimentary tract, and to this fact the extreme 

 longevity of these animals is attributed. A considerable number of 

 different organisms were isolated from the faeces of the bats ex- 

 amined, two in particular receiving special notice — (1) a brown pigment- 



* Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xxviii. (1914) pp. 280-328, 387-407. 

 + Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xxviii. (1914) pp. 441-9. 



