432 THE AMERICAN MONTHLY [Dec. 



Bacteria in Noma. — X. has made bacteriolog-ical examina- 

 tions in two cases of noma (occurring- in two girls, respec- 

 tivel_y three and fourteen years of age). The cultures and 

 preparations were made in both cases from the boundary 

 between the necrosed and healthy tissue. In both cases 

 cocci were found tog-ether with a bacillus which was poly, 

 morphous and resembled the diphtheria bacillus. The 

 cultures of this bacillus from the first case had no patho- 

 genic effect upon animals. The author considers the ba- 

 cillus found by him to be different from the one described 

 by Shimmelbusch. 



These findings correspond to those obtained by Bishop 

 (Transactions Chicago Pathological Society, vol. i, p. 252), 

 who reports cases of noma from which a bacillus was 

 isolated resembling ver}- closely in its morphology the 

 diphtheria bacillus, but with slight pathogenic effect upon 

 animals. — Medicine. 



Bacteriological Diagnosis of Epidemic Meningitis by 

 Lumbar Puncture. -W. Holdheim gives the results of the 

 bacteriological examination of fluid obtained by lumbar 

 puncture in four cases of epidemic meningitis. In all the 

 cases the meningococcus intracellularis of Weichselbaum 

 was found in the fluid. The fluid obtained by puncture 

 was centrifugated, and from the sediment cover-glass 

 preparations were made in the usual way and stained ac- 

 cording to Loeffler. In all the preparations numerous leu- 

 cocytes were found, in which were often seen three or four 

 pairs of cocci. The diplococci were very like gonococci in 

 appearance, and lance-shaped diplococci were not found. 

 Pure cultures of the meningococcus were obtained upon 

 glycerin agar-agar in each case. 



The author holds that by this method a diagnosis can be 

 easily made in epidemic meningitis by lumbar puncture, 

 and a differential diagnosis during life between it and tub- 

 ercular meningitis. — Medicine. 



Bacteriology of the Hair. — Dr. L. Brocq says that when 

 the bacteriology of the hair is taken up various microbes 

 are found in it. Six are, however, discovered quite con- 



