606 SUMMAEY OF CUEKENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



The first appeared as diplococci or short chains of irregular-sized cocci, 

 or frequently as curved round-ended rods staining variously by Gram's 

 method ; the cocci have no true motility, and possess neither capsule nor 

 flagella ; optimum temperature is 37'' C. ; aerobic growth only occurs 

 when the medium contains both serum and sugar. The organism is- 

 only slightly pathogenic for laboratory animals. The second appeared 

 among the pus cells of a brain abscess, when stained by Gram's method, 

 as masses of small cocci, arranged in chains of four to eight members. 

 Ordinary surface cultures on neutral-, glucose-, glycerin, and blood-agar, 

 and on Loeffler's serum, showed no growth after 24 hours ; but under 

 anaerobic conditions abundant growth was obtained ; no growth could be 

 obtained on gelatin at room temperature. The organism was not 

 pathogenic for laboratory animals. The authors give in tabular form 

 the cultural characters of these two organisms, whereby they are con- 

 trasted with each other and also with Streptococcus pyogenes. 



Thermophile Bacteria.*— P. Bardou isolated four varieties of B. 

 thermophilus from the lower layers of fluid in the open tank of the sewage 

 works at Lille. In the tank they lived at an average temperature of 15°C., 

 but their optimum temperature for culture is between 52° C. and 60° C. 

 They are motile, form spores, and liquefy gelatin ; under anaerobic con- 

 ditions they coagulate milk, the clot being subsequently dissolved ; they 

 stain badly with ordinary anihne dyes, but well by Ziehl's and Gram's 

 methods. 



Acid-fast Bacilli. t—Lombardo Pellegrino finds that the relation 

 between Koch's tubercle bacillus and the pseudo-tubercle or acid- 

 resistmg bacilli, is analogous to that which exists between the species 

 of one genus, or between the varieties of one and the same family of 

 organisms. 



The relation between acid-fast bacilH and the tubercle bacillus of 

 birds and cattle and the diphtheria bacillus is understood when these 

 organisms are all regarded as members of the large family of Strepto- 

 tricheffi. The acid resistance is caused by fatty matter which has been 

 formed as the result of metaplastic processes in the bacillary protoplasm. 



Carriage of Infection by Flies. | — R. M. Buchanan records experi- 

 ments in demonstration of the part played by flies in carrying and 

 spreading infection. The flies used were Musca domestka and 

 M. vomitoria. The bacteria used were those of typhoid fever, swine fever, 

 pyosis, tuberculosis, and anthrax. The experiments showed conclusively 

 that flies alighting on any substance containing pathogenic organisms 

 are capable of carrying away these organisms in large numbers on their 

 feet, and of depositing them in gradually decreasing numbers on surface 

 after surface with which they come into contact. They further serve to 

 demonstrate the necessity for the exercise of stringent measures to 

 prevent the access of flies to all sources of infection, and to protect food 

 of all kinds against flies alighting on it. 



Anaphylaxia and Anti-anaphylaxia.* — A. Besredka and E. Stein- 

 hart find that guinea-pigs, after receiving a dose of anti-diphtheritic 



* Centralbl. Bakt., Ite Abt. Ref., xxxix. (1907) p. 744. 



t Tom. cit., p. 753. % Lancet, 1907, ii., pp. 216-18 (5 figs.). 



§ Auu. Inst. Pasteur, xxi. (1907) pp. 117-384. 



