78 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



and pathogenic) were retained in full. Passage through an animal did 

 not restore the liquefying power, though it could be regained by culti- 

 vating on agar at 37°. 



Structural Division of the Endoplasm in Plague Bacilli.* — A. A. 

 Merlin draws attention to certain exceedingly minute internal struc- 

 tural details within the stained forms of the plague and other bacilli 

 which point to the existence of a regular subdivision or partition of 

 their cell contents. In the round forms the division of the contents is 

 quadripartite, so that the interior appears to show beams arranged more 

 or less crosswise, while in the elongated forms there is a longitudinal 

 partition with numerous transverse septa. In many micrococci a pro- 

 tuberant boss or kuob is a common feature, and when present appears 

 to be invariably situated on the line of one of the internal divisional 

 partitions ; the flagellum, when observable, having its point of attach- 

 ment so placed. 



Relations of the Coli Bacillus to Plague and Yellow Fever, t — 

 Dr. P. Caldas has arrived at the conclusion that the plague is a coli- 

 bacillosis of the rat excited by the ingestion of rice containing a mould 

 fungus (Aspergillus nigcr), and that the coli bacillus, by transference 

 from rat to rat, finally assumes properties which are pathogenic to man. 



The same author had previously expressed the conviction that li. 

 icleroides is a variety of the coli bacillus which acquires its virulence 

 from contact with a pyogenic microbe and in presence of a mould. 



Chemical Nature of Tetanus Toxin. t — Dr. H. Hayashi, who has 

 made researches as to the chemical nature of tetanus toxin, expresses 

 the opinion that this poison is an albnmose. This conclusion is arrived 

 at in consequence of the behaviour of the toxin with salts of zinc. 



Bactericidal and Agglutinative Properties of Pyocyaneus Serum. § 

 — The results of Dr. P. Midler's researches may be summed up as fol- 

 lows. The bactericidal power of normal guinea-pig serum is no greater 

 in the absence than in the presence of oxygen. While non-virulent 

 bacilli are affected to no inconsiderable extent by normal serum, viru- 

 lent bacilli may, after a transitory impairment of growth, thrive therein. 

 Pyocyaneus serum has, under aerobic conditions, no greater bactericidal 

 power over virulent pyocyaneus bacilli than normal serum. But in the 

 absence of oxygen the 6erum discloses energetic germicidal properties. 

 One hour's heating to 55° destroys this anaerobic germicidal power, but 

 it may be restored by the addition of normal serum. No agglutinating 

 substances exist in pyocyaneus bouillon cultures. The agglutinins of 

 the immunising serum are therefore formed in the body. 



Bacterium pneumoniae caviarum. || — Dr. F. Strada and Dr. R. 

 Traina describe a new form of infectious lung disease in guinea-pirrs. 

 From the inflamed tissues was isolated an oval microbe, easily stained, 

 but quickly decolorised by alcohol. In hanging drops lively move- 

 ments were observed ; it is cultivable on the usual media, the optimum 



* Joiirn. Quek. Micr. Club, vii. (1000) rp . 387-90 (11 figs.). 



t C.R. Soc. dc Biol., lii. (1900) pp. 953-5. 



J Mitth. Med. Fucult. Kaiserl.-Japan. Univ. Tokio, iv. (1900) pp. 341-62 



§ Centralbl. Bakt., l te Abt., xxviii. (1900) pp. 577-87. 



II Tom. cit., pp. 635-48. 



