498 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



1 ■ 2 /x, by ■ 6 /A. It is arranged for the most part in pairs, end to end, 

 and both ends of each member of the pair are distinctly pointed. 

 Short chains up to about ten pairs occur in serum broth. It is non- 

 motile, and retains the stain in Gram's method. Capsules cannot as a 

 rule be demonstrated in cultures, but occasionally when stained by 

 Hiss' copper-sulphate method, capsules can be made out. The diplo- 

 coccus ferments glucose, mannose, galactose, Ifevulose, maltose, lactose, 

 saccharose, raffinose, and dextrine. Inulin and salicin are also fermented, 

 but with some strains longer time is required. Dulcite and sorbite are 

 not attacked. Manuite is slowly fermented by some strains, but not by 

 all. A slight degree of acidity is produced in arabinose and xylose, none 

 in isodulcite. Glycol is slowly fermented, but neither glycerol nor 

 erythrite are attacked. The organism gives a positive reaction with 

 Neufeld's bile test, thus resemliling the pneumococcus, while its patho- 

 genicity for mice is of a low order, as compared with the latter organism . 

 Complement fixation tests appear to support the theory of the causal 

 relationship of the organism to the disease. The author is of opinion 

 that the disease may exist an an epizootic among mice. 



