176 SEVENTH REPORT. 



difference between the germs described by the various observers. A 

 tabulation would bring out these differences nicely. The chief points of 

 difference between this group and the anthrax bacillus — outside of path- 

 ogenic effects — lie -in the motility of the former and the clouding which 

 the}^ produce in bouillon. The significance of the group of bacilli is a 

 matter of doubt. Some few of the investigators regard their germs as 

 closely related to the anthrax bacillus. Others regard the germs observed 

 by them as related to the hay bacilli or the root bacilli. Possibly there 

 are two distinct groups^ — those related to the authrax bacillus, e. g., B. 

 anthracoides of Hueppe and Wood, and those more purely saprophytic, 

 e. g., B. pseudanthracis of Burri. 



If these organisms are weakened varieties of B. anthracis or if they 

 can produce immunity to anthrax, they are of importance. If merely 

 saprophytic, their resemblance to the anthrax bacillus renders them of 

 interest. Some of them certainly are pathogenic toward mice and the 

 pathogenicity toward this animal must be borne in mind in diagnosing 

 anthrax. In view of the j^ossible occurrence at anj- time of actual or 

 suspected anthrax in Michigan, it is important that we bear in mind 

 the existence and probably wide distribution of this group of anthrax- 

 like bacilli. 



University of Michigan. 



REFERENCES. 



1. Hueppe and Wood, Berl. Klin. Wchnschr., 1889, p. 347. 



2. Bainbridge, Jour, of Path, and Pact., 1902, 8, p. 117. 



3. Klein, Cent. f. Bakt., 1889, 6, pp. 313, 345, 377. 



4. Wahrlich, Ref. in Migula, Syst. der Bakt., (Jena: Fischer, 1900) 2, p. 282. 



5. Burri, Hvg. Rndsch., 1894, 4, p. 339. 



6. Hartleb and Stutzer, Cent. f. Bakt., 2te Abt., 1897, 3, pp. 81, 129, 179. 



7. Willach, Ref. Cent. f. Bakt., 1897, 21, p. 106. 



8. McFarland, Cent. f. Bakt., 1898, 24, p. 556. 



9. Gottstein, Hyg. Rndsch., 1902, 12, p. 1185. 



10. Schulz, Ref. in Jahresber uber Fortschr. d. Hvg., 1903, p. 272. (Not accessible.) 



11. Bongert, Cent. f. Bakt., Orig., 1903, 34, p. 779. 



12. Baumann Hyg. Rndsch., Jan. 1, 1905, 15, p. 7. 



13. Kaesewurm, Zeitschr. f. Fleisch-u. Milchhvg., 14, p. 137. (Not accessible.) 



14. Canestrini, Ref. in Flugge, Die Mikroorg., (Leipzig: Vogel, 1900), 2, p. 233 



