356 CASE OF SARCINA VENTKICULI. 



indeed, may depend on tlie patient's time of life, and on the 

 peculiarity of liis constitution, and may gradually disappear 

 even without medicine, as a consequence of increased cor- 

 poreal vigour. 



Tlie Structure, Mode of Reproduction, and Development of 

 Sarcina ventricidi, the Parasite detected in the ejected Fluid. — 

 The following description is drawn up from examination of 

 the ejected fluid for a period of nearly two months. 



In every instance the organisms presented themselves in 

 the form of square or slightly oblong plates. The thickness of 

 an individual was about one-eighth of the length of one of its 

 sides. Under a moderate power the sides and angles appeared 

 straight and well-defined ; but under deeper glasses, the 

 angles were, rounded, and the sides siauous ; appearances 

 which resulted from the uncompressed forms of the compo- 

 nent cells in their particular directions. The flat surfaces 

 were divided into four secondary squares by two rectilinear 

 transparent spaces, which, passing from side to side, inter- 

 sected one another in the centre like two cross garden-walks. 



Each of the four secondary squares was again divided by 

 similarly arranged, but more feebly developed spaces, into the 

 four ternary squares. 



The sixteen ternary squares thus constituted, when ex- 

 amined with deeper powers, were seen to consist each of four 

 cells, which were not separated by transparent spaces, but 

 simply by dissepiments formed by the conjunction of the 

 walls of contiguous cells. 



These sixty-four cells of which the organism consisted did 

 not present in perfect individuals distinct nuclei ; although 

 in certain instances appearances presented themselves, having 

 relation to the reproduction of the organism, and falling to be 

 described in another part of the paper. 



The individual organisms were transparent and slightly 



