880 EXPEBIMENT STATION KECOKD. [Vol. 35 



diagnosis are unreliable. A bibliography of 47 references to the literature is 

 included. 



The variations in reaction of the blood of different species as indicated by 

 hemolysis of the red blood cells when treated with acids or alkalis, J. G. 

 Gumming (Jour. Infect. Diseases, 18 (1916), No. 2, pp. 151-119, figs. 11).— The 

 author reports hemolytic and chemical time indexes and their equivalent NHs, 

 NaOH, and HCl percentages of the erythrocytes of the dog, bear, horse, mule, 

 white rat, brown rat, turtle, guinea pig, rabbit, frog, pigeon, hog, monkey, 

 chicken, cat, elephant, cow, deer, sheep, goat, negro, and Caucasian. 



" For the 15-minute hemolytic system there is a marked difference in the 

 chemical requirements (NH3, NaOH, and HCl) for some species, while the dif- 

 ference is not so marked for others. For this system one of the three chemical 

 hemolysins may be of the same percentage for two species ; invariably there 

 appears, however, a difference in the percentage requirement for either one or 

 both of the other two chemical hemolysins. The NH3 hemolytic time indexes 

 divide the animals tested into four fairly distinct groupings. The position of 

 the NaOH hemolytic time indexes of the different species corresponds closely 

 to that of the NHs indexes. There is no special arrangement of the HCl time 

 indexes for the different species with relation to the alkaline indexes." Alka- 

 line hemolysis is deemed due to the OH group and acid hemolysis to the H ion. 



It is indicated that the chemical and hemolytic time indexes may be used 

 to identify blood-cell suspensions of different species with a considerable de- 

 gree of accuracy. The hemolysis of the red blood cell may be used as an indi- 

 cator to determine the degree of acidity or alkalinity of certain solutions. As 

 an indicator these cells are affected by the isotonicity of the blood suspension. 

 "Alkaline hemolysis can be influenced by acids, and acid hemolysis by alkalis. 

 Both acid and alkaline hemolysis can be influenced by the neutral salt content 

 of the suspension." 



A distinct variation between the normal and pathological blood of the same 

 species was observed in most of the specimens tested. This variation is deemed 

 probably due to an increased alkalinity or decreased acidity or to variation in 

 the neutral salt content. 



A practical method for the identification of guinea pig's under treatment, 

 A. P. HiTCHENS (Jour. Bad., 1 (1916), No. 5, pp. 541-5^5, fig. 1). — A system for 

 identifying laboratory animals based on a study of abbreviations is described. 

 It is indicated that by this system animals can be both rapidly described and 

 easily recognized. 



The anticoagulant action of acid anilin dyes toward albuminous materials, 

 A. C. HoLLANDE {Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. [Paris], 162 {1916), No. 25, pp. 959- 

 961). — From experiments made by treating ascitic fluid, cerebro-spiual fluid, 

 pleural exudate, ovalbumin, etc., with various acid and basic dyes, as eosin, 

 orange G, uranin, Congo red, light green, etc. (equal volumes of fluid and 2 per 

 cent solutions of the dye), it was found that the acid dyes combined with the 

 protein substances and formed colored acid albumins. These substances were 

 not coagulated at the boiling temperature or on being sterilized in an autoclave 

 at 120° C. for 20 minutes. 



On boiling a mixture of a soluble protein and an acid dye a transparent jelly 

 was obtained which could be further heated at 120° without changing its char- 

 acter. It is indicated that by the proper choice of a nontoxic acid dye media 

 suitable for bacteriological use can be prepared in this manner. 



It is further indicated that the property possessed by the acid dyes of com- 

 bining with protein material substantiates the idea that histological staining is 

 a physicochemical reaction (eosinophilic, acidophilic), and not merely a purely 

 physical (adsorption, solution) action. 



