1897] MICROSCOPICAL JOUKlNAL. 135 



upon these points, I should be disposed to conclude that 

 external leprosy inoculation means tubercular leprosy, 

 and internal inoculation anesthetic leprosy." 



Medico-legal Importancs of the Excrements. — Prof. 

 Moeller has an article in the IVet'fi. kliji. Rundchau of March 

 14 calling- attention to the value of the testimony afforded 

 in criminal proceedings by microscopic examination of the 

 dejecta. He sug-g-ests that criminals arrested on suspic- 

 ion should be interrogated as to what and where they had 

 eaten recently, and the feces will confirm the truth of their 

 assertions or the reverse, disprove an alibi, etc. He 

 mentions two separate instances where the criminals 

 were traced and brought to justice by casual discovery of 

 fig seeds in their excreta, and adds that the microscope 

 should be used more frequently than at present in crim- 

 inal proceedings. 



BACTERIOLOGY. 



The Saliva a Microbe Killer. — It has long been known 

 that secretions of the mucous membranes, especially saliva 

 possess antiseptic properties under certain circumstances, 

 which explains the reason why the germs which enter 

 daily and hourly through the mouth do not reach a harm- 

 ful development; but Edinger has now found the active 

 material in potassium rhodanate, which is present in saliva. 

 Potassium rhodanate is a compound of sulphur, cyanogen, 

 and potassium, and is in large quantities, narcotically 

 poisonous to warm blooded animals; it is, like other rhod- 

 anates fatal to bacilli. It is said that quinolin rhodanate, 

 in a solution of three parts to the thousand, will kill the 

 cholera bacillus in a minute, and in a solution of three times 

 this strength, will kill the diphtheria bacillus in the same 

 time. It was found by further researches that this rho- 

 danate has the effect of carbolic acid and of corrosive sub- 

 limate, and at the same time is harmless to man. 



Rhodanate is the same thing as sulpho-cyanate, a much 

 better word because it explains itself, and is not liable to- 

 be confounded with the derivatives of rhodium. — Populaf- 

 Science News. 



