58 NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 



situated partly in the actual biting portion of the nipper and partly 

 in the broad basal joint which supports the latter. The glandular 

 apparatus consists of a chitinous duct leading to the orifice at the 

 apex of the organ, and forming the axis of the gland. It is perforated 

 in its course by a multitude of small apertures, each of which leads 

 into a minute cylindrical tube, terminating in a long secreting cell, 

 the whole mass of these cells being arranged in a radiating fashion 

 around the duct. The entire organ is surrounded by a membrane, and 

 has the general form of a four-sided prism. Notwithstanding its 

 comparatively small size, Mr. McLeod has detected the same arrange- 

 ment in Lithohius forjicatus, the common European centipede.* 



Microbia. — Under the title of " The Influence of M. Pasteur's 

 Discoveries on the Progress of Surgery," M. Sedillot contributes a 

 paper to the French Academy,f which he commences by pointing out 

 that the microscopical organisms pervading the atmosphere (which 

 Pasteur has shown are the caiise of the fermentations attributed to 

 the air, which is merely their vehicle), form a world by themselves, 

 the history of which, as yet in its infancy, has already proved fertile 

 in conjectures, and in results of the highest importance. 



The names of these organisms are, however, very numerous : — 

 Miciozoaria, Microphyta, Aerobia, Anaerobia, Microgerms, Micro- 

 cocci, Mici'ozymes, Bacteria, Bicteridia, Vibrions, Microderms, Con- 

 fervfe. Ferments, Monads, Animalcules, Corpuscles, Torulae, PenicilUum, 

 Aspergillus, Infusoria, Leptothrix, Leptotrichum, S^Dores of Achorion, 

 of Fuvus, of Oidium, of thrush. Organisms of right and left tartaric 

 acid, septic and septicemic Zymes, &c., terms which need to be 

 defined and partly reformed. The word Microbia (from mihros, small, 

 and hios, life) has the advantage of being shorter and of a more 

 general signification, and of being approved by M. Littre, the most 

 competent linguist in France ; and the author therefore proposes it for 

 general acceptance, without, however, laying aside altogether those 

 terms in use to designate varieties which have been more particularly 

 examined. M. Pasteur also approves of the term. 



The paper proceeds to discuss the changes in surgery which were 

 brought about by the proof of the existence of Microbia, and " which 

 threw a vivid light on the obscurity and false conceptions in which 

 surgery had gone astray. From the highest antiquity medical science 

 took notice of the preponderating influence of the air on health and 

 disease ; but, in spite of the immeuse progress of science, time brought 

 about no change in this point of view until the discoveries of M. Pas- 

 teur essentially modified the position of surgery and the treatment of 

 wounds in particular. Surgeons were divided by different doctrines, 

 reducible to a single one having for its basis ' the dangers of contact 

 with air.' All were founded on observations which were exact and 

 approached to truth, without, however, attaining it by reason of false 

 interpretations and hasty generalizations. The discoveries of M. Pas- 

 teur at once reconciled the apparent contradictions, and explained the 



* 'Bull. Acad. Roy. de Belgiqiic,' vol. xlv. 'Pop. Sc. Eev.,' N. S., vol. iii. 

 p. 111. 



t ' Compto.s Eeniliis,' vol. Ixxxvi p. fi.S4. 



