216 The Microscope. 



The Germs in Vaccine Virus. — Pfeiffer is quoted by The 

 Centralblatt fur Bacterologie, No. 19, 1888, in his report of 

 examinations of vaccine lymph to determine the germs contained in 

 it. He found that an absolutely pure lymph is only rarely obtained; 

 the germs most frequently fou.nd are spores, rarely in lymph from 

 children, constantly in vaccine lymph. Sarcinse are also found in 

 both human and vaccine lymph, but are of no practical importance. 

 Bacteria and bacilli are found exceptionally in human lymph, more 

 frequently in vaccine matter. Micrococci are found, the most 

 constant being Staphylococcus cereus albus, and an orange colored 

 micrococcus identical with the Pyogenes aureus. Pathogenic micro- 

 cocci occur frequently, most often the Staphylococcus, pyogenes 

 aureus, albus and citreus, streptococci, those of erysipelas and the 

 pyogenes are not found in animal lymph. The bacillus of syphilis 

 does not flourish in bovine lymph and hence syphilitic contagion 

 cannot be obtained from this source. The bacillus of tuberculosis 

 may, however, be inoculated in vaccine lymph. — Phila. Med. News. 



New Method of Classifying Betozoa, — Instead of depending 

 upon exterior characteristics for classification, the Bryozoa are 

 ground into the required thinness and submitted to the microscope. 

 The method of preparing these mounts is described in Science by 

 Mr. A. F. Foerste. The specimen is ground on a Barnes machine, 

 with emery until a plane is formed having the same direction as the 

 intended section. The successively finer grades of emery are used 

 until a fine polish is obtained, which can be made very fine indeed 

 by using polishing powders sprinkled over a piece of plate glass. 

 Then the specimen is carefully washed, dried, and glued with 

 Canada balsam to the slide which is to retain the specimen. 

 The specimen is then ground away until only a thin sheet remains 

 fastened in the Canada balsam, after which it is again smoothed, 

 washed and protected by a thin cover- glass. 



NEWS AND NOTES. 



The cultures of the so-called micrococcus of cerebro-spinal men- 

 ingitis show the cocci mostly joined in pairs, forming diplococci. 

 They are round, but occasionally are seen flattened on their adjoining 

 sides. There is a distinct space between them, equal to about one- 

 third the diameter of a single coccus. They show no motion in the 



