48 H. B. FANTHAM. 
forward by Schaudinn, is excellent, but it is merely an 
“hypothesis,” and Schaudinn himself only put it. forward 
as such (84), and did not unduly force it beyond this 
stage. This conception of polymorphism in relation to sex 
may be applied perhaps to Spirochetes, as it is to Trypano- 
somes, thus allowing of the possible existence of male, female, 
and indifferent forms, the former (“ male”) being character- 
ised in extreme cases by the possession of a thin elongate 
body and clear protoplasm, the “female” being stouter and 
larger, with granular protoplasm containing reserve material. 
Returning now to the so-called forms in 8. balbianti, 
Perrin mentions the elimination of chromatin at a swelling 
in the centre of the Spirochetes, comparing this to a “ matu- 
ration’”’ process or “reducing division” of his “ chromo- 
somes.’ But it is possible that this was really due to bursting 
of the periplast and outflow of some of the endoplasm and 
nuclear material. 
Of the many hundreds of specimens which I have observed 
of both S. balbianii and S. anodonte, I find no evidence 
whatever for definitely stating the existence of polymorphism 
in relation to sex in any of these Spirochetes. I do not mean 
by this statement that sexual forms do not exist in some 
possible portion of the life-cycle at present unknown, but I 
think there is little evidence as yet in this direction, in 
spite of careful searching and consideration. It is useless, 
at this stage in our limited knowledge of the Spirochetes, to 
force matters farther. Schaudinn’s “ working hypothesis ” 
on this question, as such, is excellent, but the hypothesis is 
far from being proved, and so is not a “theory.” I think the 
differences of appearance between Perrin’s male, female, and 
indifferent forms are so slight and so gradual, that they are 
probably only the extremes from a more or less continuous 
series. Recently Moore and Breinl in-a note (‘ Lancet,’ i, 
1907, pp. 1219-20) on male and female forms in Trypano- 
soma gambiense support this “series ” view. 
I am convinced that no useful purpose is served by further 
discussion at this juncture. And assuming that the Spiro- 
