30 THE MICROSCOPE. Feb. 



They grow best in bullion or sterile serous fluid from the ab- 

 dominal cavity, in which a whittish, fairly heavy sediment is 

 formed, which in older cultures becomes yellowish-gray. The 

 cultures have no characteristic odor. Rabbits were always 

 immune to the bacteria. Mice died Irom septicemia three to 

 four days after inoculation with small quantities of the culture, 

 the hacilli heing obtained again in pure cultures from the liver 

 and spleen. 



The author believes the bacillus described by him to be the 

 specific cause of the measles. — Medicine. 



RECENT PUBLICATIONS. 



Lessons in Elementary Botany for Secondary Schools. 



— Thomas H. Macbride. Boston, Allyn and Bacon, 1896 pp. 233. 



Elements of Botany. — J. Y. Bergen, Boston, U. S. A. and 

 London. Ginti & Co., Part. I., pp. 275 and viii. pt. II. pp. 57. 



If one can judge from the number of text books on botany 

 issued during the last few years in this country, the study must 

 have a larger share of attention in our high schoo's and col- 

 leges than form erl3\ Two small books have recently appearel, 

 both from teachers of experience. Prof. Macbride's book is di- 

 vided up into fifty-four lessons, beginning with buds and their 

 arrangements, stem arrangements, structure and kinds, roots, 

 leaves, infloresence, flowers, fruit and seed, then special plants, 

 such as wake-robin, maple, buttercups and wind flowers, dande- 

 lions, rye, blue grass, ferns, mosses, fungi, and an outline of the 

 vegetable kingdom. The book as the author says cannot be used 

 by the teacher unless he is equipped with a good general knowl- 

 edge of botany and the flora of his own immediate locality. Prof. 

 Macbri(!ehas adopted the plan that pupils should be directed to 

 study plants rather than the book. Admirable indeed, in fact no 

 one should use any of the numerous text books without the plants 

 to illustrate structure. He insists too that drawings should be 

 made. We commend the suggestion that "these drawings 

 however, should not be permitted to supplant full and accurate 

 descriptions of the material studied, inasmuch as the develop- 

 ment of ability to describe accurately is one 'object to be kept 



