96 



SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Fig. 15. 



Fig. 10. 



consists of a eudiometer /, which reaches almost to the hottom of the 

 glass globe d. In the lower end h of the eudiometer is inserted a tube 

 with a valve v. Before use A is sterilised or, as is customary in 



dairies, is washed with acid and then 

 with milk, and is then filled with milk up 

 to the mark 100. The eudiometer / is 

 filled by pouring water in at the opening 

 o up to the level of n at the lower part 

 of the eudiometer. The stopper s at the 

 top of the burette is then removed, o 

 closed with the linger, and the eudiometer 

 filled with water. The stopper is again 

 inserted, and the finger removed. When 

 the part B has been filled, its lower end c 

 is flamed and carefully adjusted on A. 

 Any gases that develope open the valve v 

 and ascend into the eudiometer. If a 

 chemical analysis of the gases be desired, 

 the stopper s is replaced by a perforated 

 caoutchouc stopper closed by a clamp 

 (fig. 16). Should it be desired to transfer 

 the collected gases to another vessel, the 

 opening o of the glass bulb is connected 

 with a tube. Then, by pouring water 

 from a greater height than that of the 

 eudiometer into the bulb d, the gas is 

 expelled through the opening K. It is 

 advisable to warm the flask A up to the 

 temperature at which the experiment is 

 to be carried on, and this is best done 

 by placing it, when filled and inoculated, 

 for some minutes in the incubator or in 

 warm water. 



Demonstrating the Bacterial Cap- 

 sule.* — Dr. I. Boni states that the cap- 

 sules of bacteria, even from solid cul- 

 tures, may be demonstrated by the following method. The white of one 

 egg, 50 grm. of glycerin, and two drops of formalin, are mixed together, 

 well shaken, and filtered. With a loopful of this fluid a trace of an agar 

 culture of pneumococcus is carefully mixed and spread on a slide. The 

 slide is then heated till white vapour ceases to be given off. The film is 

 then covered with Ziehl's solution, which is allowed to act for half a 

 minute. The preparation is washed, dried, and mounted in balsam. 



Method of Examining Faeces and Morbid Secretions for Bacteria.f 

 — Dr. J. Strasburger takes a piece of ftecal matter, the size of half a 

 pea, stirs it up with a glass rod, aud then centrifuges. The supernatant 

 fluid is then treated with 96 per cent, alcohol in the proportion of 1 to 2 

 parts, in order to diminish the specific gravity, and so allow the bacteria 



* Miinchrner Med. Wochenschr., xlvii. (1900) pp. 12G2-3. 

 t Zeitschr. f. angew. Mikr., vi. (1900) pp. 160-1. 



