102 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



deoxidising the medium, and so rendering it suitable for the action of 

 anaerobic bacteria. 



New Pathogenic Streptothrix.* — Dr. G. Dean isolated from a sub- 

 cutaneous swelling in a horse a streptothrix which had given rise to 

 appearances resembling actinomycosis. No granules were found in the 

 pus, but delicate filaments with dichotomous branching were observed. 

 The organism was cultivated successfully on agar-bouillon and the yeast 

 medium. Iso growth occurred on blood-serum, potato, or gelatin. The 

 optimum temperature was 35°-37°. The growth on agar and in 

 bouillon is described as resembliug little masses of white coral or 

 cauliflower. 



Microscopical preparations showed that the organism was extremely 

 pleomorphic, the forms varying from coccus and bacillus to filaments. 

 The majority are rods 3-5 //, long and 0-3-0-4 jx broad. The bacillus 

 form especially, owing to polar staining, is practically indistinguishable 

 from diphtheria bacillus. In ascitic fluid and serum bouillon branching- 

 filaments predominated. Inoculation experiments gave positive results ; 

 those on rabbits being most successful. In the successful cases were 

 found nodules with lanceolate and club-shaped processes arranged in 

 rosette fashion. 



Though the disease caused by this streptothrix presented features' 

 resembling actinomycosis, the organism differs widely from the labora- 

 tory Actinomyces, and the author's results tend to show that the Strepto- 

 tricheaa are more nearly allied to bacilli than to moulds, and that 

 the disease known as actinomycosis is caused by different species of 

 allied organisms. 



Streptothrix Caprse.f — Dr. Silberschmidt describes an organism 

 which was isolated from the lungs of a goat, the morbid appearances 

 simulating those of tuberculosis. Streptothrix caprse is non-motile ; it 

 stains well with anilin pigments, and also by Gram's method. The most 

 effective staining was attained by Gram and eosin. The microbe is 

 pleomorphic, presenting itself in cocco-bacillus forms and also as fila- 

 ments of variable length, which may be branched. The filamentous 

 form occurs more frequently in pus, in sections, and in deep bouillon 

 colonies. The rodlet shape is more prevalent on agar cultures, and in 

 the superficial bouillon colonies. The older the cultures the less frequent 

 are the filament forms. Appearances resembling spores were observed, 

 but this mode of development was not exactly ascertained. Strep, caprse 

 is pathogenic to laboratory animals. Cultivations were made on gelatin, 

 agar, bouillon, serum, potato, pepton-water, straw-infusion, and milk. 



Streptothrix Nature of the Diphtheria Bacillus.! — Dr. W. Spirig 

 states that if diphtheria cultures be kept for a year or more, chalky 

 looking deposits appear in the central parts of the growth, and on micro- 

 scopical examination streptothrix forms and actinomycosis-like appear- 

 ances become evident. 



Pathogenicity of the Pseudo-Diphtheria Bacillus.§ — Diphtheritic 

 organisms of every grade of virulence are to be met with, says Dr. A. 



* Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xiii. (1899) pp. 841-53 (5 figs.). 



f Centralbl. Bakt. u. Par., l te Abt., xxvi. (1899) pp. 540-1. 



I Trans. Jenner(late British) Inst. Prevent. Med., 1899, ser ii. pp. 113-24 (2 pis.). 



§ Tom. cit, pp. 17-44 (3 pis.). 



