338 Manual of Veterinary Microbiolof/y. 



The experimental disease confers immunity. M. 

 Mathis has found that immunity also follows the 

 natural disease. 



^"otwithstanding the importance of the results al- 

 ready obtained concerning the. etiology of distemper 

 of dogs, there are some obscure points which yet re- 

 quire to be elucidated, such as, for instance, the inter- 

 esting question of the pathogenesis of those nervous 

 troubles which so frequently complicate the disease. 



Phosphorescent meats. 



Dead animal matters not unfrequently become 

 phosphorescent. Marine iishes and moUusks are 

 especially liable to be thus aftected, while meats are 

 less subject to this change. Phosphorescent meat 

 shows on its surface a coating which is luminous in 

 the dark, and easily removed by scraping. 



The cause of this deterioration resides in a bacte- 

 rium, Ifjt in length {Photohacteriam Pflugerii). This 

 germ grows well on meat and fish, especially at tem- 

 peratures between 10° and 30°. In presence of oxy- 

 gen it gives to the culture media a whitish glimmer. 

 The invasion of meat takes place very quickly in 

 summer, one piece of meat being readily infected by 

 another. The multiplication of the germ is rather 

 favored by salting, and it ceases when putrefaction 

 begins. The luminous property is directly connected 

 with the life of the germ. It has not hitherto been 

 found that such meats are poisonous. 



In order to complete this subject we should yet 

 have to discuss a number of diseases the microbic 

 nature of which is unquestionable. Thus, cocci and 



