394 Messrs. C. A. Ballance and S. G. Shattock. 



human placental blood serum discontinuously sterilised and inspis- 

 sated. 



The blood collected, as previously stated, was poured into long- 

 sterilised test-tubes, which were allowed to stand in cold water and 

 plugged with sterilised wool. The following day the serum was 

 drawn off with a pipette and transferred to other sterilised tubes 

 plugged with wool. These were then placed on six successive days 

 in a serum steriliser, and some of them afterwards were solidified. 

 The blood furnished from a single placenta was not more than suffi- 

 cient to charge two or three tubes. Into two tubes, as above stated, 

 of solidified serum thus prepared were placed pieces of the above 

 tumour. One of these showed a white coccus growth on the seventh 

 day ; the other remained sterile, and was incubatfed at blood heat for 

 three months. It was then prepared for the microscope. The 

 microscopic sections show distinct "budding" of both epithelial 

 and connective-tissue cells. 



Experiment 2. Large Recurrent Carcinoma of Breast. Woman, 

 cet. 30.' Into three tubes of fluid human placental serum were placed 

 pieces of the growth about half an inch in longest measurement. 

 Into three other tubes of solidified human placental serum were 

 placed three other'pieces of the growth after the fluid (expressed at 

 the time of solidification) had been poured off. These last three 

 tabes were then partly filled with fluid human placental serum, pre- 

 viously warmed, and prepared as described under Experiment 1. All 

 these tubes were incubated at 100 F. Three weeks later, cover-glass 

 preparations from the tubes showed in all a variable degree of coccus 

 growth. The vitality of the organisms was tested by inoculating 

 tubes of nutrient jelly. In all cases an iridescent growth occurred 

 which when examined proved to be of coccus form. We were sur- 

 prised at all the tubes showing a growth, and intend to make some 

 further observations on the micro-organism. 



Experiment 3. Small Carcinoma of Mamma. Woman advanced 

 in age. Into three tubes one of fluid human placental serum and 

 two of nutrient agar with 6 per cent, glycerine were placed pieces of 

 the growth. Incubation at 100 F. On the eighth day one of the 

 agar tubes showed a " white growth " which was found to be a 

 stnphylo-coccus. From each of the other tubes a tube of nutrient 

 jelly was inoculated. A fortnight afterwards neither of these jelly 

 tubes showed any growth. On the eighth day the sterile piece of 

 cancer on agar was transferred to Miiller's fluid ; on microscopical 

 examination it showed typical capitate processes projecting from the 

 nuclei of many of the epithelial cells, as also free granules in the 

 alveoli; some also of the connective-tissue cells show typical budding. 

 These appearances are not visible in sections of a portion of the same 

 tumour which was hardened in a like manner but not incubated. 



