524 Journal of Applied Microscopy. 



Spirig, W. UeberdieDiphtheriebacilleneiner This work covers investigations made 

 Hausepidemie. Zeitsch. f. Hyg., 30 : 511- ^^ nine children from two different 

 532, 1899. ... 



faniiUes m which there had been a 



diphtheria epidemic. Two were found to be free from infection, seven were 

 infected. Four of these cases were infected with the classical Loffler bacillus. 

 Two of the cases furnished cultures, and showed other characteristics which 

 were more closely related to the pseudo-diphtheria bacillus than to Lofifler's 

 bacillus, and the ninth resembled quite closely the pseudo-diphtheria bacillus. 

 The latter produced in animals paralysis identical with that produced by the 

 classical Loffler bacillus. This latter property, combined with their evident 

 common origin, points to variation in a specific bacillus. Differences in effect 

 are to be explained by differences in predisposition at the time of infection. 

 The results of these investigations may be briefly summed up as follows : 



The epidemiological close connection of these cases of diphtheria furnish a 

 test for the bacteriological differential diagnosis of the true and the false Loffler 

 bacillus. The diphtheria bacillus may, in the idividual cases of a diphtheria 

 epidemic, show all stages of transition from the pseudo-diphtheria bacillus to the 

 classical Loffler bacillus. The diphtheria bacillus may present all the charac- 

 teristics of the pseudo-bacillus and still produce paralysis in animals. The 

 specific serum reaction often fails in bacilli which possess all the characteristics 

 of the pseudo-bacilli, give rise to paralysis, and epidemiologically belong to a 

 single focus of true diphtheria infection. Neisser's granular staining, as well as 

 the other differential diagnostic signs, is not absolutely certain. 



H. H. w. 



Almqvist. Ueber eine Methode das spezifische This is a method for determining the 

 GeA^-icht von Bakterien und anderen Kor- „^_ -r-- (^ravifv of harteria etc hv 

 perchen zu Bestimmen. Zeits. f. Hyg. u. Specific gravity ot bacteria, etc., D> 



Infektionskrankheiten. 28:321-330, 1898. centrifugation. For this purpose Aim- 

 Rev. Centrbl. f. Bakt. 25: 619, 1899. ^^-^^ ^^^^ ^ l^^t^^^j^ ^^-^^ ^ 3team 



turbine having eight thousand revolutions per minute. The medium containing 

 the bacteria is placed in a tube constructed for the purpose, and centrifugated, 

 with the result that the cells sink to the bottom. In a culture of hay bacteria, 

 for example, there will be a layer of spores at the bottom, and above the rod- 

 like organisms. The method may also be used to separate bacteria from the 

 fluid containing them. Sodium iodide was found to be a good emulsion fluid. 

 The hay bacillus centrifugated in this had a specific gravity of 1.4. 



E. M. Brace. 



Lunt. On a Convenient Method of Preserving It was found that a variety of water 

 Living Pure Cultures of Water- Bacteria. k-..^^- r. fluoresrens violarens 



Trans. Brit. Inst. Prevent. Med. I Ser. bacteria — i). nuorescens, \ lOiacens, 



London, 1897. Rev. Hyg. Rundsch. 9: 238- iridescens, prodigiosus, etc., could be 

 239- i°99- cultivated in sterilized and in distilled 



water. They grew and reproduced in this medium for several years. The 

 medium was not favorable for the growth of other forms, such as B. coli. 



E. M. Brace. 



