FEEMENTATI( >N UACTPJRIOLOGY. 388 



textile plants is said to he the result of the action of niiero-organisnis wliii-h attack 

 the pectic l)0(lies c(jnstituting the middle lamella of the fibers, as well as the most of 

 the parenchyma which surrounds the fibrovascular bundles. An examination of a 

 number of samples of retted flax showed the presence of the following organisms: 

 BaciJluR coll coniuiiivh, B. mesentericus fusnis, B.ftaorescemi ll(jaefacienf>, B. mycoides, 

 B. s^ibiilis, B. tenno, Streptothrix forsteri, Micrococcus roseiis, Penici Ilium glaucwn, Mwor 

 mitccdo, and Clndosporrmn herbarum; together with the sterile mycelia of a number 

 of fungi. Pure cultures were made of these different organisms and exiwriments 

 conducted with them, together with other fungi, such as Sclerotinia lihertiana, Botry- 

 tis cinerea, and Aspergillus niger. Of these the author found Bacillus fluorescens gave 

 the best results, the Streptothrix attacked the fibers less rapidly, while Micrococcus 

 rosens was the least efficient in retting the flax. His studies showed that these organ- 

 isms act through the solution of the pectin in the flax, and in artificial solutions 

 where j^ectate of lime was added the material was readily liquefied. 



A variety of hog-cholera bacillus which closely resembles Bacillus typhosus, 

 M. DoKSET (Alls. Ill Science, ii. ser., /o [190J), Xn. S7-'i, p. o70j. — A variety of hog- 

 cholera bacillus, which was isolated from a virulent outbreak of hog cholera in Page 

 County, Iowa, is described. This variety corresponded in every way with the typical 

 hog-cholera bacillus, except in its fermentation of glucose without the evolution of 

 gas. In this respect it resembles B. typhosus more closely than the hog-cholera group 

 of bacteria. Examination of several cultures has shown that structurally this variety 

 of hog-cholera bacillus can not be distinguished from some specimens of B. typhosus; 

 but the author concludes that when the source and pathogenic properties are consid- 

 ered the organism should be classed among the hog-cholera bacteria. 



Oysters and sewage in Narragansett Bay, C. A. Fuller {Abs.-in Science, n. 

 ser., 15 {1903), No. 375, pp. 363, 364).— The sewage of the city of Providence, which 

 amounts to about 14,000,000 gal. per day, is discharged into Narragansett Bay and is 

 carried out by the tide, coming into more or less contact with some of the oyster 

 beds. Samples of water and oysters were collected from different localities, and 

 analyses made of the material while still quite fresh. The results showed that the 

 water, oysters, nnissels, and clams for a distance of a quarter of a mile from the sewer 

 opening contained Bacillus coli, B. cloacix, and Bacterium lactis aerogen.es. The water 

 and oysters from a bed 2 miles below the sewer contained the same organism. Thirtj^ 

 per cent of the oysters and about 60-per cent of the water samples from a bed situated 

 in a strong tidal current 5 miles from the sewer contained Bacillus coli. Forty [)er 

 cent of the oysters and 70 per cent of the water samples from a bed in sluggish water 

 5f miles from the sewer contained the bacteria, and oysters from a bed 6 miles away 

 were also infested. Oysters from a bed 6^ miles below the sewer contained no colon 

 bacilli, and the water contained specimens only occasionally, and then only when 

 taken on a falling tide. Beds still farther down the bay were entirely free from con- 

 tamination. 



Preliminary observations on Bacillus coli communis from certain species 

 of animals, V. \. Mooke and F. K. Wkigut (Abs. iu Sdence, n. ser., 15 {190J), X<>. 

 875, pp. S7'J, 373). — A study has been made of Bacillus coli com)nunis found in the 

 large and small intestines of horses, cattle, sheep, swine, dogs, and chickens. The 

 purpose of these examinations was to find the extent to which varieties of this bacil- 

 lus exist normally in the intestines of different individuals of the same species, and 

 of different species of animals. The object was to determine if the manj^ varieties of 

 the colon bacillus, which have been described from jiolluted water, soil, and from 

 lesions of various kinds in man and animals, have their natural existence in the sup- 

 posed normal hal)itat of this species of bacteria. The results showed no pronounced 

 variation in the morphology or the cultural characters of these bacilli from different 

 sources when grown on gelatin, agar, ixitati, and bouillon. 



