1896.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 373 



Carpenter, Williamson, Wallich, Brady, Parkerand Jones 

 that the members of the class are infinitely variable, and 

 that indeed no absolute distinctions of species and 

 genera exist, sach as appear more definitely to charac- 

 terize the higher forms of animal life. My own investi- 

 gations rather confirm this view, and, under the (circum- 

 stances, we can only regard the more conspicuous and 

 prevailing forms as so many nominal species, in likeness 

 with the species of higher organic forms, more or less 

 intimately related, and by intermediate forms or varities 

 merging into one another. So that in them species do 

 not exist — only forms, and so it is with the larger forms 

 of animal and vegetable life. Species, as they are called, 

 change and from what we know of ancient life on the 

 earth it began with Rhizopods such as now exist and grew 

 up more and more complex until we have man. 



Bacteriology of the Normal Conjunctiva.* 



By CHARLES J. FOOTE, M. D. 



, NEW HAVEN, CONN. 



The object of reporting the few bacteriological experi- 

 ments which are recorded below will be better understood 

 if they are taked in connection with and as supplementary 

 to the paper of Dr. Wilson. 



Our purpose in making the experiments was, if possible, 

 to throw some light on the causes of suppuration after 

 cataract extraction. 



Our method of examination consisted in smearing over 

 the surface of a slant tube of agar a particle of conjunctival 

 secretion which had been removed with a sterilized cotton 

 swab or a loop of platinum wire. 



Agar was used as a culture medium, because we desired 

 to study only those bacteria which grow at 37° C. 



*Read before the section on ophthalmology of the New York. Acad- 

 emy of Medicine, October 21, 1895. 



