THE MICROSCOPE. 131 
from that of inhaled coal-dust and soot, which is frequently found 
in normal lungs, especially in thosé of coal-miners and chimney- 
sweepers, etc., etc. Concerning this black lung pigment, Knauff 
says, in Virchows Archiv, vol. No. 39, page 458: “I have never seen 
the lungs of adults that did not show a black pigment (pigment- 
ation). The lungs of newly-born infants, however, never contain 
black pigment; those of old people, as a rule, a large quantity.” 
It is well known that the English first expressed the idea, that 
this black pigment which so plentifully exists in the lungs of coal- 
miners and chimney-sweepers, etc., etc., is due to the inhalation of 
coal-dust and soot. 
Pearson was the first (Philosophical Transactions, 1813, page 
159), after him Lecann and Melsens, to explain the chemical 
character of this black pigment contained in the lungs and bronchial- 
lymphatic glands. They showed that the black mass examined 
burned without flame, and without leaving any ash behind; further- 
more that it was insoluble in nitric, hydrochloric and sulphuric acids 
and caustic potash or soda, etc., and that it was only acted upon when 
placed in boiling water through which a current of chlorine gas was 
passed. It was therefore identical with coal and soot. Then by 
further chemical analysis, it was found to consist of 96,81, per 
cent. of carbon and ,§;5; per cent. of hydrogen; therefore nearly pure 
carbon. It was consequently no organic pigment. 
Since Pearson, 1813, and later, Laennec, expressed their views con- 
cerning the physiological-anthracolic lung pigment; Gregory, 
Marchall, Thomson, Rilliet and others, during the early part of the 
present century, acknowledged the possibility of the introduction of 
coal-dust, particularly soot, into the lung tissue and the production 
of an exquisite pathological anthracotic lung, as seen in coal miners. 
But it is only since Traube’s accurate microscropical examina- 
tion that it has been generally accepted that the discoloration of the 
lung was due to the presence of coal-dust within the air passages 
and alveoli. 
Following this, it was tried, with success, to solve the problem 
by experiments, and it is my duty here to mention, above all others, 
the names of Knauff, Von Ins and Ruppert. 
Pirrspurau, Pa. 
(TO BE CONTINUED. ) 
Carponi of Florence has found in the secretions of acute coryza 
(head cold) the Stuphylococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aurens et 
albus, the diplococcus of Frankel, and the pneuwmococcus of Fried- 
lander. 
