314 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Sept. 



Taking- the various forms of conjunctivitis seriatim, 

 they start as follows : 



1. Acute contagious conjunctivitisof the catarrhal type 

 — A very small specific bacillus has been found, which was 

 discovered by Koch in Eg-ypt and Weeks of America. 



This disease is quite distinct from the simple catarrhal 

 non-infectious conjunctivitis. 



2. Gonorrhoeic form — The presence of the g-onococcus 

 is the characteristic. 



3. Diphtheritic form — True diphtheria bacillus pres- 

 ent, and its presence is main diag-nostic point to distin- 

 g-uish it from the pseudo membranous form of conjunctiv- 

 its. Again it is only in the true form that the anti-diph- 

 theritic serum acts. 



3. Paralysis of the superior oblicjue, following- aural 

 suppuration has been reported by Moos. 



4. Gelle reports unilateral pupillary disturbance from 

 irritation in the outer and middle ear. Mydriasis (temp- 

 orary), following- operation on ear, aural inflammation, and 

 also from rarefaction or condensation of air in an ear with 

 intact membrana tympani. 



Hereditary Tuberculosis. — Bolog-nesi (These de Doct., 

 Paris) has examined for tubercle bacilli the placentae 

 from thirteen tubercular women, and in several cases 

 the org-ans of the fetus. Once tubercle bacilli were found 

 in the blood of the mother. In eight cases where the 

 fetus was born dead, or died in a short time, the organs 

 were examined histologically and by inoculation of ani- 

 mals for tubercle bacilli. One hundred and nineteen 

 guinea-pigs were inoculated with the various materials, 

 and also eleven rabbits. Of these, two guinea-pigs inocu- 

 lated with a placenta from one case died. From these re- 

 sults, together with the experience of former workers, 

 the author concludes that the inheritance of tuberculosis 

 from the side of the mother is usually a disposition {"'heredo- 

 predisposition'''), while the direct transfer of the bacilli 

 {''heredo-cotitagion') occurs but rarely. This latter may 

 take place (1) if there is miliary tuberculosis of the mother. 



