72 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Marcli, 



ment. A drop of blood taken from an influenza patient (an infant) was 

 inoculated into a vein of a rabbit (No. i). The next day the blood of 

 the rabbit contained microbes corresponding to those described by 

 Pfeiflcr, of Berlin. They were very small and more diflicult to be seen 

 than those found in septicaemia in the rabbit, but capable of being 

 stained by methylene-blue and fuchsin in Ziehl's solution. They 

 measured i-20th the diameter of red blood discs in length. The blood 

 of this rabbit gave characteristic cultures on sweetened agar-agar. 

 These cultures were used to inoculate another rabbit (No. 2), and its 

 blood soon contained a similar bacillus, which was easily cultivated in 

 sweetened bouillon. From the rabbit the virus was transferred to a 

 monkey, a few drops of the bouillon culture being placed in the nasal 

 fossce, but as the injection probably penetrated into the pharynx and 

 was swallowed the symptoms were only diarrhoea, fever, weakness, and 

 depression. 



The same micro-organisms were found in sputa and blood of several 

 influenza patients, not only during the fever climax but for days after- 

 ward. Blood from one of these patients was injected into the vein of 

 a rabbit (No. 3) with results as in previous cases. The bacillus re- 

 mained in the blood of the rabbits for over three weeks. 



The bacillus is so small and so difficult to stain as to elude much 

 carefulness. It cultivates slowly at 37 C. in agar-agar or in bouillon, 

 and yields to reculture in artificial media. After 24 hours the agar-agar 

 culture appears as a very fine pink cloud-like outline. In bouillon 

 the culture is scarcely visible to the naked eye. These media preserve 

 their transparency in presence of the culture, but interspersed with very 

 fine granules. (See Lancet. Feb. 13, 1892.) 



Useful W^ork. — The microscope has discovered numerous organic 

 and functional derangements, for many of which there is yet no absolute 

 remedy, and for some of which there probably never will be. and we 

 hear the inquiry : If it cannot cure, of what good is it to point out dis- 

 ease.' It is a great step in advance to discover any heretofore unknown 

 malady which can affect the human species, and the discovery is the 

 first step towards remedy. 



RECREATIVE MICROSCOPY. 



Soirees. — The Washington Society has appointed a committee, of 

 which our distinguished friend. Prof. Seaman, is chairman, to prepare a 

 soiree for some evening in April or Ma\'. 



At the meeting of February 17, the San Francisco Society gave a 

 public exhibition which was a great success. The display of objects 

 v.'as made as general and unprofessional in its nature as possible, and 

 consequently the range was very wide. 



Professor Hanks exhibited a very interesting slide of minerals "salted " 

 with filings from gold coin. Under a moderate power the very file- 

 marks upon the particles of gold were perfectly evident, and by an ex- 

 amination one could, with certainty, pronounce the specimens " salted." 

 He also showed ashes from the eruption of Krakatoa in 1S83, and one 

 of the most wonderful pieces of microscopic engraving ever executed. 

 In a space 10 x 25 millimeters were 32 lines of engraved words averag- 



