1430 Journal of Applied Microscopy 



in fresh blood is to be explained upon some other ground than the presence of 

 poisonous substances, which Buchner has called alexines. Fisher's experiments 

 have been in the line of transferring bacteria from one culture medium to another 

 containing a larger amount of salt, and in all cases he finds that the change from 

 one medium to another is followed by a granulation of the protoplasm in the 

 bacteria body, and a greater or less destruction of the bacteria, quite similar to 

 that which has been described under the influence of the so-called alexines. 

 Fisher experiments with a large number of micro-organisms, stationary and 

 motile, including all types. He finds that this granulation, which he calls "plas- 

 motyse," is a very common occurrence, as the result of a change in culture 

 media. He believes that it is due to purely physical phenomena affecting the 

 protoplasm and is, therefore, not inclined to place much weight upon the action 

 of alexines. H. w, c. 



Gromakowsky. Varieties of Pseuclodiplitiieria The author states that there are three 

 Bacilli. Cent. f. Bac. u. Par. i, 28: 136, kinds of pseudodiphtheria bacilli, 



which are distinguishable by their cul- 

 tural characters and by their growth in bouillon : (1) A relatively thick rodlet 

 of variable length, which does not render bouillon turbid. It resembles Loeffler's 

 bacillus in staining by Neisser's method, and in the acid reaction which it 

 develops in bouillon. Its distinguishing characters are its large size and its cul- 

 tural appearances. (2) A rodlet, of medium thickness and length, which after 

 25 hours at 36° C, renders bouillon markedly turbid and causes a copious 

 deposit. Morphologically and culturally, it closely resembles Loeffler's bacillus. 

 Its distinguishing feature is the absence of acid reaction in bouillon and a nega- 

 tive Neisser staining, (o) A short, thin rodlet which causes only slight cloudi- 

 ness in the medium and a scanty deposit. It has some resemblance in appearance 

 to Loeffler's bacillus. h. w. c. 



Clowes and Houston. The Bacterial Treatment ^^ a report on the general subject of 

 of London Sewage. Brit. Med. Jour. p. 287, London sewage, bacteriological exami- 

 ^ ■ nation is made to determine whether 



the bacterial method of treating sewage, which is now coming to be so widely 

 adopted, is efficient in removing bacteria as well as chemical products. The con- 

 clusion reached is that, although the water may be chemically purified, it is hardly 

 improved, so far as concerns bacteria. Crude sewage, which contains seven 

 million bacteria before treatment, contains about five millions afterward, a reduc- 

 tion of only thirty per cent. The reduction in number of coli bacillus is about 

 the same per cent., a fact which indicates, of course, that if the sewage contains 

 typhoid bacilli, the treated sewage will also contain them, only in somewhat less 

 numbers. In other words, the bacteria treatment of sewage has practically no 

 influence in rendering sewage less likely to distribute sewage borne diseases. 



H. w. c. 



