1897 - THE MICROSCOPE. 91 
oo! PHE- MICROSCOPE. 
| New Series, 1893. 
For Naturalists, Physicians, and Druggists, and Designed to Popularize 
Microscopy. 
Published monthly. Price $1.00 per annum. Subscriptions should end 
with the year. The old series, consisting of 12 volumes (1881-1892), ended 
with December, 1892. Sets of the old sertes cannot be furnished. All 
correspondence, exchanges, and books for notice should be addressed to the 
Microscopical Publishing Co., Washington, D. C., U. S. A. 
CHARLES W. SMILEY, A. M., EDITOR. 
BORO TA, 
Bubonic Plague.— Latest intelligence from Bombay, 
India, shows a marked and encouraging decline in this 
fearful disease. ‘It is not spreading in other localities to 
which it had been carried.’ Prompt and efficient restric- 
tivé means were inaugurated and judiciously and persis- 
tently employed and this dread disease, it is confidently 
believed, will soon be stamped out—a consummation 
devoutedly to be wished. 
——————_—_—_—_—_—=——_———— 
Water Coolers.— These are liable to infection from 
sources outside of themselves. The ice may be polluted 
from the hands, as bacteria are often obtained from bits 
of epidermis scraped from the fingers. Coolers are often 
filled with water drawn in recepticles none too clean. The 
coolers may have been wiped with soiled or dusty clothes, 
théy dre often left unwashed and containing sediment of 
organic matter, which, decaying, furnishes food for many 
kinds of virulent bacteria. 
Even artificial ice is not always safe. Upon examina- 
tion, in one piece was found many colonies of a kind of 
bacteria which corresponded biologically with the Staphy- 
lococcus pyogens aureus. This organism was lost before 
its pathogenic properties were determined, but it doubt- 
less is identical with the golden pus coccus. Its presence 
