2M TIIK A.MKKK'AN MONTHLY |S.'i.(., 



Koch's method for examination of the microbes to be 

 found in air. — Tlio (luantity and difVenMit forms of tlic Imclcria 

 in any liivt'H situation or (hvclliii^ houso or apartment can 1)«' 

 tletermincil. Koch U8cs slial'ow phiss capsules about i inch 

 «lcep and 2 indies iiidiamcter, in which he places steriHsedfjjcla- 

 tine. These are placed inside tall glass cylinders, about G inches 

 high, the mouths of which are closed with larj^e cotton wad- 

 dinir j'lujrs. The glass ca|)sule is lowered into the cylinder, and 

 again removed from it by means of a piece of soft metal bent at 

 right angles. After the whole has been sterilised, the cotton 

 wadding plug is removed, the gelatine is left exj^osedfor about 

 lU minutes, the plug is reinserted, and organisms that have set- 

 tled on it are allowed to develoj) at the temperattireof theroom. 

 These soon make tlieir a]»p('arance as sniall white, yellow or 

 pink jtoints according to tiie nature of the germs that are pre- 

 sent in tlie air. In addition to these, however, a number of 

 tluny white, green, or black forms make their appearance. The 

 former consist of hacteria, sarcina or yeasts, the latter of peni- 

 cillia, niucors, and aspergilli. 



A simpler method is merely to allow the germs to .settle on 

 plates of sterilised gelatine or potatoes, which are left uncovered 

 for a time. This will give a notion of the species to hn found 

 in any given pbice, but not the number. 



MEDICAL MICROSCOPY. 



A Tuberculosis Congress has been held at Paris, and the 

 members have arrived at the conclusion that all jtersons dying 

 of "consumption" should be cremated, as the earthworms bring 

 the germs of tuberculosis to the surface, and .so distribute the dis- 

 ease. The congress projjosed this order of the day. after hear- 

 ing an account of experiments made at the Botanical Garden of 

 Lyon, by Messrs. Lortet and Despeignes. These two well-known 

 <loctors have filled with earth .some flower-pots. In each pot 

 they have put earthworms with spittle of tulierculous patients 

 and fragments of lungs taken from their dead bodies. A month 

 after, they have ascertained that the earthworms contained a 

 great number of tuberculous bacilli and that the Guinea pigs 

 inoculated with these died soon with general tuberculosi«. — 

 licne Swnison, Paris, France. 



