78 Dr. S. Martin. The Chemical Products of [May 22, 



verted into a swollen infiltrated tissue undergoing necrosis ; in this 

 tissue the typical diphtheria bacilli could be seen in large and small 

 nests and groups in the superficial layers, and extending from them 

 into the deeper portions of the necrotic membrane. Also in cat 4 cover- 

 glass specimens of the tracheal and bronchial exudation showed the 

 presence of the typical diphtheria bacilli. Now, the above epidemic 

 started with the disease of the two cats, 1 and 2, about the end of 

 March, and the question arises : how did the disease originate in these 

 two animals ? No cats had been ill in this shed, and the two cats were 

 normal when some weeks previously they were received at the 

 Brown Institution. But during the latter half of March I had two 

 milch cows in the stables of the Brown Institution ill with diphtheria 

 induced by inoculation with the bacillus from human diphtheria, in 

 fact the two cows described on a former page. They were inoculated 

 on March 17, and, as was mentioned on a former page, showed the 

 peculiar eruption on the udder between the 5th and llth day; in one 

 animal on the 5th day, i.e., March 21, the diphtheria bacillus was 

 demonstrated in the milk drawn from the udder. As soon as the 

 eruption on the udder and the pulmonary affection in the cows were 

 noticed strict orders were given to the attendant that the milk of 

 both cows was to be thrown away. This order was not obeyed, since 

 part of the milk was given to the two cats above mentioned, and these 

 two animals became affected during the last week of March. I 

 ought to mention, however, that, though the time at which these 

 cats became affected is in perfect harmony with the suggestion that 

 the consumption of the above milk of the affected cow had been 

 the cause of their illness, the man who attended to the cows was also 

 attending to the cats. But in view of the fact that this person was 

 free from diphtheria, the possibility of having conveyed the disease 

 from the cow to the cat is out of the question, particularly if we 

 remember that milk containing the diphtheria bacilli had been 

 actually given to the cats. 



II. "The Chemical Products of the Growth of Bacillus anthracis 

 and their Physiological Action." By SIDNEY MARTIN, M.D., 

 Pathologist to the Middlesex Hospital. Communicated by 

 Dr. KLEIN, F.R.S. Received May 7, 1890. 



The work here recorded was done for the Medical Officer of the Local 

 Government Board, whose permission I have for publishing this 

 abstract, of it. 



The research was commenced in May, 1889. The bacilli were 

 grown in a solution of pure alkali-albumin (made from serum- 



