ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 95 



No production of conids could be induced ; but bodies were obtained 

 under cultivation which the author believes to be the result of a sexual 

 process. 



Reticulate Interruptions in the Thallus of Lichens.* — Herr G. 

 Bitter offers an explanation of the mesh-like perforations which occur in 

 the lower tissue-layer, or in the entire thallus, of certain foliaceous and 

 fruticose lichens (Umbilicaria pustulata, Peltigera, Q olorinia). The rup- 

 ture of the lower epidermal layer appears to be due to the activity of the 

 strongly intercalary growth of the upper layers. The veining on the 

 under side of the thallus of species of Peltigera has a similar origin. 



Fate of Yeasts in the Organism.! — Dr. Skchiwan communicates 

 the results of injecting yeasts into the peritoneal sac and blood-current 

 of animals. The yeasts used were Saccharomyces subcutaneus tume/aciens, 

 a pathogenic species isolated by Curtis, S. pastorianus, and red yeast. 

 The author confirms the results of Schattenfroh, who found that the 

 yeasts were destroyed by phagocytosis, and also the observation of Busse, 

 who noticed that after 24 hours pathogenic yeasts were often surrounded 

 by a capsule. In unstained preparations the capsule presents the appear- 

 ance of a bright ring, and if stained with methylen-blue becomes a 

 marked example of metachromatism. Much stress is laid on a rosaceous 

 appearance produced by a collection of mononuclear leucocytes surround- 

 ing a yeast-cell. 



Actinomycosis and Pseudactinomycosis. — Dr. P. Kruse $ records a 

 case having the ordinary clinical features of actinomycosis, though 

 suppuration of glands is mentioned. The pus contained typical granules, 

 and microscopical preparations presented appearances characteristic of 

 actinomycosis. Cultivations made on suitable media showed that the 

 fungus differed from the Streptothrix actinomyces of Kruse, and from 

 Str. Israeli, though it possessed many resemblances to both. 



Dr. N. Berestnew § would divide the ray-fungus disease into two 

 groups, actinomycosis and pseudactinomycosis. Actinomycosis is caused 

 by parasites belonging to the genus Actinomyces, and also by micro- 

 phytes described as Streptothrix, Oospora, Nocardia, and Cladothrix. 

 The principal depot of the foregoing is fodder. The ray-fungus disease 

 occurs as typical actinomycosis when the parasites answer to the de- 

 scription of Bollinger, Bostrom, and others, and is atypical when there 

 are no granules and no club-shaped elements. In pseudactinomycosis 

 granules and clumps occur, but they are devoid of radiation and of the 

 club-shaped forms. Pseudactinomycosis may be subdivided into two 

 groups, according as the parasite stains by Gram's method or not. 



Herr J. Berg || records the occurrence of three cases of actinomycosis 

 in sheep. In two cases the tongue was affected in the ordinary way ; in 

 the third there were small submaxillary abscesses. The fungous tufts 

 were small, but the clubs were well developed. 



* Festschr. f. Schwendener, 1899. See Bot. Centralbl., lxxix. (1899) p. 163. 

 t Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xiii. (1899) pp. 770-8 (1 pi.). 

 $ Centralbl. Bakt. u. Par., 1" Abt., xxvi. (1899) pp. 209-12. 

 § Zeitschr. f. Hyg. u. iDfektionskr., xxix. (1898) pp. 94-113 (3 pis.). 

 I Maanedsskrift for Dyrlaeger, x. p. 1. See Centralbl. Bakt. u. Par , 1" Abt , 

 xxvi. (1899) p. 231. 



