244 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



the conclusion that the pseudodiphtheria bacilli were by themselves 

 quite harmless to animals, though by symbiosis with other germs they 

 may acquire a moderate degree of toxicity, which, however, was soon 

 lost. The most prominent features of the pseudodiphtheria bacilli are the 

 luxuriant growth in glycerin-agar, the production of acid, the turbidity 

 of the bouillon cultures, and the tolerance of low temperatures. A con- 

 sideration of the characteristics in plate-cultures, the general cultural 

 appearances exhibited in the media used, and especially agar slants, 

 suggests a division into four groups. Group one is chiefly distinguished 

 by scanty growth, by small non-confluent colonies, and by relatively 

 copious production of acid. In the second group the colonies are thick, 

 dry, raised, and white; the production of acid is less than in group one. 

 In group three the growth is raised, white, moist, and shiny, and is ex- 

 tremely luxuriant in oblique agar ; the acid production is slight. The 

 fourth group includes chromogenic pseudodiphtheria bacilli, the growth 

 being dry or rnoist. The pigment is usually yellow, but may be red. 



Bacteriology of Ozaena.* — Dr. F. Perez claims to have found the 

 specific organism of ozaaua, and has designated the microbe Coccobacillus 

 fcetidus ozsense. It is easily stained, but not by Grain's method. It is 

 non-motile. It is polymorphic, presenting itself in the same preparation 

 as long and short bacilli and as cocci of variable size. In its natural 

 ozaanic mucus and in most artificial me>lia it is a small coccobacillus, 

 while on gelose long sinuous filaments may be observed. It does not 

 liquefy gelatin, does not ferment saccharated media, and does not coagu- 

 late milk. It forms indol, and excites the ainmoniacal fermentation of 

 urine. It is cultivable on most media at incubation temperature, the 

 cultures evolving a characteristic foetid odour. It is pathogenic to 

 guinea-pigs, mice, pigeons, and rabbits. The experiments on rabbits 

 showed that the microbe exerted a specific action on the pituitary 

 mucosa: in some cases the atrophic rhinitis so characteristic of true 

 ozaena was reproduced. 



The organism was isolated by inoculating tubes of gelose, gelatin, 

 serum, and peptonised bouillon with ozaenic secretion. The detection of 

 the microbe was facilitated by the characteristic odour developed in 

 capped tubes. Peptonised bouillon appears to have given the best 

 results. Occasionally intravenous inoculation of rabbits was had 

 recourse to. 



Micrococcus intertriginis.j — Dr. Max Meyer claims to have isolated 

 the exciting agent of cry threma intertrigo. It is an aerobic coccus which 

 stains well with ordinary anilin dyes, but is decolorised by Gram's 

 method. It grows well on most media, and best at the body tempera- 

 ture. Gelatin is liquefied. Inoculation of animals with pure cultures 

 reproduced the disease. 



Experimental Yellow Fever.} — In a study on experimental yellow 

 fever, Dr. A. Bruschettini records his agreement with Sanarelli as to the 

 morphology and biology of B. icteroides. The experiments on animals 



* Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xiii. (1899) pp. 937-50. 



+ New York Med. Journ., lxx. (1899) pp. 873-6 (18 figs.). 



X Centrulbl. Bakt. u. Pi.r., 1" Abt., xxvi. (1899) pp. 764-80. 



