914 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The permeability of tlie placenta for micro-organisms, and its phagocytic 

 power, X. K. Neelow {CjrnthL Bait. u. Par., 1. Aht., .31 {190:?), No. U, Orig., pp. 

 691-693). — The experiments reported in this article were made on pregnant raljbits 

 and the objects of the experiments were to determine whether nonpathogenic micro- 

 organisms were able to pass from the mother to the fetus through the placenta, and 

 whether the placenta exercised any phagocytic action. As a result of these experi- 

 ments it was found that nonpathogenic bacilli did not pass through the healthy 

 placenta. The phagocytic power of the placenta was found to be very slight. 



Investigations on a new pathogenic species of yeast, E. Cohn ( Centhl. Bali. 

 u. Par., 1. Aht., 31 {1902), No. 15, Orkj., pp. 755-7-^5) .—Cultures were received 

 from Klein of a species of yeast discovered by him to l)e pathogenic. The original 

 material was found in milk. The morphological characters of the organism and its 

 behavior in artificial cultures are described. The author conducted a number of 

 inoculation experiments with this organism, on small and large experimental 

 animals. White and gray mice were invariably killed by such inoculations, within 

 from 4 to 11 days. Young white rats, however, proved to be immune. Symptoms 

 of disease, but without fatal results, were produced in rabbits, while in guinea pigs 

 more violent inflammatory lesions were produced as the result of inoculations. A 

 pig 3 months old inoculated in the auricular vein exhibited a purulent conjuncti- 

 vitis after 8 days, together with considerable disturbance of the general health. 

 The animal finally recovered entirely from the symptoms. Similar inoculation 

 experiments with a dog resulted also in the development of purulent conjunctivitis, 

 from the discharges of which the organism was recovered. The dog died after 3 

 days. Experiments with pigeons showed that these birds were not susceptible. A 

 number of feeding experiments were conducted with mice, and infection took jslace 

 in all cases. These experiments, however, had to be abandoned, and the ultimate 

 result of infection could not be observed. 



A bacterium resembling that of bubonic plague, E. Klein {Centbl. Bakt. v. 

 Par. 1. Aht., ■!.' il90J), No. 10, pp. 673-675, figs.. 3). — Bacterium bristohn.se was iso- 

 lated from rats found dead on a vessel from Asia Minor. Notes are given on the 

 appearance and staining jiroperties of this organism. Small intraperitoneal doses of 

 the organism were found to have a fatal effect upon guinea pigs Avithin 24 hours. 

 Subcutaneous injections of cultures were fatal to the majority of experimental animals. 



A bacillus liable to be mistaken morphologically for the bacillus of teta- 

 nus, F. F. BcsHNELL {Amer. Vet. Rev., 26 {1902), No. 5, pp. 405-410). — A bacillus was 

 obtained from pus in a case of poll-evil, and cultures were made of the organism 

 upon agar, gelatin, and other nutrient media. The bacillus is described in detail. 

 It decolorizes when treated l>y Gram's method, and the spores resist a temperature 

 of 80° C. for 45 minutes. The organism differs from the tetanus liacillus in that it is 

 a facultative aerobe, is motile in young cultures, does not liquefy gelatin, does not 

 take the Gram stain, is not pathogenic for guinea pigs. 



Absorption of tetanus toxin, A. Marie and V. Morax {Ann. In.st. Pasteur, 16 

 {1902), No. 11, pp. 818-831) . — The authors' experiments were made on mice, rabbits, 

 and other laboratory animals. It was found that the absorption of the tetanus toxin 

 by the peripheral nerves was the result of a specific affinity of this substance for the 

 axis cylinder. This affinity is not manifested in experiments made in vitro, but is 

 sufficiently apparent in living animals. The fixation of the tetanus toxin by the 

 nerves takes place very rapidly. It is proposed in future experiments to study the 

 rcMe of different parts of the nervous s}'stem in absorbing tetanus toxin. 



Observations on Bacillus coli communis from certain species of donaesti- 

 cated animals, Y. A. Moore and F. R. Weight {Anier. Vet. Per., 26 {1902), No. 6, 

 pp. 524-533). — Notes are given on the appearance, biology, and pathogenic power of 

 cultures of this bacillus obtained from horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, dogs, and chickens. 



