622 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



are held to afford positive proof of the adaptability of nodule bacteria to 

 other genera of Leguminosre. The illustrations are extremely effective, 

 and show Phaseolus vulgaris (1) uninoculated, (2) with bean-bacteria, 

 (3) with pea- bacteria, (4) with cross bacteria. 



New Pigment-forming Bacillus.* — Dr. H. Marx and Herr F. Woithe 

 found in the discharge from an operation wound and also in the air of 

 the ward, a pigment-forming bacterium which is designated Bacillus 

 lyrunificans Berolinensis. It is a motionless rodlet 0*5 /x broad and 

 0-75-1 fji long. It grows well on the usual media, and forms a brown to 

 blackish-brown pigment which spreads from the surface to the depth of 

 the medium and becomes darker with time. Gelatin is liquefied. It 

 does not form spores, and is not pathogenic to animals. The optimum 

 temperature is 30°. The pigment formation is not influenced by sun- 

 light. The pigment is not soluble in chloroform. 



Black-rot of Cabbage.f — Mr. H. A. Harding records important 

 observations as to the existence of the black-rot of cabbage in North- 

 western Europe. The disease is well known in the United States, 

 and the cultural characteristics of the causative microbe, Bacillus vel 

 Pseudomonas campestris Pammel, have been thoroughly described by 

 American observers.^ 



Bacteriosis of Dactylis glomerata.§ — Herr E. Kathay describes a 

 bacterium disease which attacks this grass. It forms a yellow slime, the 

 pigment of which is insoluble both in water and in alcohol. The microbes 

 are ellipsoidal, and apparently destitute of vibratile cilia. 



Tuberculosis in the Frog due to Fish Tubercle Bacillus. || — Dr. 

 Ledoux-Lebard records some more observations as to the action of 

 Bacillus tuberculosis piscium on the frog. These bacilli are grouped 

 in filaments, and exhibit false branchings ; they are resistant to acids, 

 and the appearance of cultures bears some resemblance to those of 

 avian and human tubercle. The optimum temperature is however lower. 

 Piscian tuberculin was found to give a much less marked reaction 

 in guinea-pigs than Koch's tuberculin. Injections into the dorsal 

 lymph-sac were followed by emaciation and death in a few weeks to 

 months. In these cases the liver was chiefly affected, bacillary tubercles 

 being disseminated throughout the organ. Though tubercles were 

 found elsewhere, their presence was less marked than in the liver. The 

 site of a tubercle was marked by necrosis, caseation, and cell-prolifera- 

 tions. In animals killed 10 minutes after infection, the presence of 

 bacilli in leucocytes was observed in the liver and kidneys. The 

 numbers increased as timo went on. The activity of certain pigmented 

 cells in the liver is described as being a special form of defence. These 

 cells are apparently of endothelial origin, and have definite phagocytic 

 functions. The effect of temperature is very marked ; 22° C. is practi- 

 cally the optimum ; below 20° the progress of the tuberculosis is slower, 

 while above 34° it is arrested. 



* Centralbl. Bakt. u. Par., l u Abt., xxvii. (1900) pp. 8G2-8. 

 t Proc. Amer. Ass. Adv. Sci., xlviii. (1^99) p. 294. Also Centralbl. Bakt. u. Par., 

 2*» Abt., vi. (]900) pp. 305-13 (2 pis., 1 tig., 1 map). 

 % Cf. this Journal, 1897, p. 574; 1898. p. 462. 

 § S.B. Aknd. Wiss. Wion, cviii. (1899) pp. 597-G02. 

 || Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xiv. (1900) pp. 535-54 (1 pi.). 



