MICROPHYTES FOUND IN THE BLOOD. 391 



Numerous short bacilli present — motionless. The spleen also 

 crowded with similar bacilli. They appear to be of a smaller size 

 than are usually met with, the segments averaging only 2*5 /x in 

 length by '8 to 1 fx in breadth; though, in many of the rods, 

 indications of segmentation could not be detected, or detected 

 only in parts of them. The segments became more evident on 

 drying, so that measurements could be accurately made. The 

 sketch opposite has been drawn accurately to scale {vide PI. 

 XVII, fig. 6). A drop of aqueous humour was placed on a 

 cover-glass and a needle dipped into the spleen, and then ap- 

 plied to the droplet of humour. The cover was inverted and 

 placed on a glass slide, hollowed in the centre, a little olive oil 

 having been placed along the rim of the hollow to maintain the 

 cover in its position. Another specimen was prepared and 

 mounted on a slide in the ordinary way {i.e. without access to 

 air except along the edge of the cover-glass), and both were set 

 aside until the following day." 



The course taken by the latter preparation is described as 

 follows : — "The * ordinary^ preparation of yesterday's note was 

 found to have altered somewhat. At one side of the slide a 

 number of Bacterium ienno had developed, forming a whitish 

 rim ; along with these were staves of the same character 

 as described yesterday, but considerably grown, which were being 

 knocked about in all directions by the bacteria. The greater 

 portion of the preparation had gone on to ' spore ' formation, as 

 figured at a, PI. XVII, fig. 7. In others the filaments and 

 joints were still distinct and presented a protoplasmic aspect {}>). 

 Many of the filaments were held together by very slender cords, 

 sometimes as if by one corner only, probably owing to a twist- 

 ing of the tube ; at others the continuation of the tube was dis- 

 tinct (c). [Compare this description with the figures oi Bacillus 

 cDithracis reproduced from Dr. Cossar Ewart's paper, fig. 7 and 

 8.] Here and there filaments could be seen in a transition 

 stage, a 'spore' having formed in each segment, the joint being 

 still faintly visible, but the plasma disappeared except at one or 

 two parts — generally the end segments of a thread. Com- 

 monly the separated segments contained two ' spores,' presum- 

 ably coinciding with the original number of segments. The 

 threads are wider when containing ' spores ' than previously. 

 The ' spores ' = 1 to 1"4 ^ in length, '8 to 1 ^ in breadth. The 

 space allotted to each ' spore ' in a filament, presumably each 

 segment, was from G to 7 ju in length, so that a filament contain- 

 ing 2 ' spores ' would equal 12 to 14 fi, and 3 'spores ' = 18 to 

 21 /.(j and so on, so that the filament manifestly swells out in all 

 directions." 



The third day : " Having set the slide in moist air under a 



