AND CONTENTS OF THE MOQTH. 81 



in summing up the morphological and biological series of 

 Leptothrix^ beginning with the forms of Cocci or Bacteria, we 

 pass through the chains, the growths, and end in the fructification 

 by spores, in order to begin again another series usque ad infini- 

 tum. But, beside this cycle of reproduction, we must notice 

 another — of buds and internal impregnation (that already foreseen 

 by Robin), which is seen in the interior of the envelope of old fila- 

 ments, articulations, and bacilli, and through which, from the 

 same bacilli, are generated other bacteria, and this owing to the 

 reserve buds described above. From those bacteria are, in their 

 turn, reproduced the chains, the tendrils, and their articulations or 

 bacilli, as we have seen in the former Memoir on the subject of 

 bacilli b' and n (below) and in «, u (Fig. 2). 



Let us consider what a great cause of dissemination this is, 

 placed at the entrance of the digestive and respiratory organs. 

 According to our calculations, there would always be found present 

 in the nose and mouth, taken together, from two hundred to three 

 hundred trillions of bacteria, or other elements of the microphite, 

 ready to enter the stomach at the time of deglutition, and to fall 

 on to the respiratory passages at every breath. In comparison 

 with that mass, what are the few germs we inhale from the 

 atmosphere ? 



But if, at every breath we inhale, a propelling motion sends 

 whole swarms of elements or germs of the microphite into the air- 

 passages, another slower but continuous movement pushes germs 

 or analogous elements on into the genito-urinary passages 

 through contiguity, from one epithelium to another, and onwards 

 along the mucous patina, passing through the urethral orifice, 

 which Pasteur has compared, in this case, to the Thames Tunnel.''" 



We will briefly treat these questions in Section 4, and demon- 

 strate the identity of Leptothrix preputialis with Leptothrix buccalis. 

 Now, to enable others who may be willing to repeat and to verify 

 our observations, we will proceed to describe the modus operandi, 



* Schutzenberger Le fermentazioni, ecc. trad., Milano, 1876, p. 204 ; V. 

 also Vicentini Caso di vegetazione di funghi microscopici nell' Uretra 

 ecc, Morgagni, April, 1880. 



International Journal of Microscopy and Natural Science. 



Third Series. Vol. V. g 



