ZOOLOGY AND UOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 



Ill 



currents affords a means of collection and examination. The differences 

 in behaviour of various bacteria are such as to suggest the possibility 

 of utilising the method for purposes of specific discrimination. As an 

 example, the presence of tubercle bacilli in the urine is given. For 

 this, the most suitable electrolyte was ethylamine 5 p.c, 1 part; 

 lactic acid 10 p.c, 4 parts; bromic acid 5 p.c, 2 parts; urine, 1 

 or 2 parts. The apparatus used (fig. 17), consisted of a modified 

 U-tube, filled with a mixture of tuberculous urine and the electrolyte. 

 In the narrow limb of the vessel a platinum foil strip was submerged. 

 In the broad limb a glass tube, traversed by a platinum wire, was 

 submerged, the lower end of the tube forming a bacterial trap. After 



Pig. 17. 



passing a current for a sufficient time the contents of the trap were 

 examined in the usual way for tubercle bacilli. 



New Method for obtaining Pure Cultures from Whole Organs 

 and Pieces of Tissues.* — A. Feoktistow states that pure cultures of 

 whole organs, e.g. spleen of mouse, or pieces of tissue, may be obtained 

 by immersing the objects in 10 p.c caustic potash, or soda, for some 

 few seconds, 3 to 8 according to size. The object is then transferred 

 without further preliminary or care to the cultivation medium. 



Aerobic Cultures of "Anaerobic " Organisms. j— F. Marino, in a pre- 

 liminary communication, states that he grows anaerobes in bouillon-serum 

 prepared as follows. Test tubes are filled with a mixture of 5 c.cm. 

 serum and 15 c.cm. bouillon ; these are heated for an hour at about 100°. 

 Temperatures much below or much above 100° retard or prevent the 

 development of anaerobes. Any quantity of bouillon-serum may be 

 made provided the relative proportions of 1-3 are maintained. 



Cultivating Spirochseta pallida.} — J. Schereschewsky made culti- 

 vations on horse-serum. The medium was inoculated with infected 

 material. The spirochsetes were formed on the third clay, and from the 

 fifth to the twelfth were very numerous. The best way to examine for 



* Centralbl. Bakt., lte Abt. Orig., Hi. (1909) pp. G85-7. 

 f C.R. Soc. Biol. Paris, lxvii. (1909) pp. 664-5. 



j Deutsche Med. Wochenschr., 1909, pp. 1260 and 1652, through Centralbl. 

 Bakt., lte Abt. Rof., xlv. (1909) pp. 107-9. 



