1890.] MICKOSCOPICAL JOUENAL. 237 



Besides the foregoing colonies of oval bacteria, slender bacilli and 

 thick bacilli were also observed. 



These observations were made from cases occurring during the 

 height of the epidemic, and another set is given from cases of pneu- 

 monia, which started as influenza. Among the micro-organisms 

 isolated from the latter cases were Streptococcus pyogenes^ a lancet- 

 shaped diplo-bacterium, and a bacterium the colonies of which formed 

 mucus-looking masses below agar layers or upon gelatin. They were 

 pathogenic to mice and rabbits. 



Dr. Bouchard, after narrating instances of the contagiousness of influ- 

 enza, proceeds to say that he found three pathogenic microbes of influenza, 

 " twoofwhicharetoomany if we go for a specific virus of influenza." All 

 these three microbes are the constant companions of the various cavities 

 of the human body. Hence, in order to have any casual relation to influ- 

 enza they must have exceeded the ordinary condition of their existence. 

 The author's view that Streptococcus pyogenes aureus is the only mi- 

 crobe capable of producing pneumonia wants further corroboration. 

 This microbe was isolated from the vesicles of Herpes labialls^ and 

 was found also in the pneumonias complicating influenza. Strepto- 

 coccus pneiujionice was found by the author in the bronchial secretion, 

 but not in the blood. This microbe is considered bv the author to be 

 identical with the Streptococcus of erysipelas, of suppuration, and of 

 puerperal fever. 



Dr. T. M. Prudden has examined seven cases of unmistakable in- 

 fluenza. Cultivations were made on agar and agar-glycerin plates at 

 the temperature of the body. The pathogenic forms discovered were 

 Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus^ Streptococcus pyogenes^ and Diplo- 

 coccus pneumonice. The author concludes that bacteriology has 

 "brought to light no living germ which there is reason to believe has 

 anything to do with causing the disease." When compared with Rib- 

 bert's investigation of quite a similar set of cases, i. e.^ influenza with 

 and without pneumonia, it is found that the author discovers Diplo- 

 coccus p7ieufnonice in tolerable frequency, while Ribbert does not men- 

 tion this microbe at all. 



Dr. Ribbert examined seven cases dead of influenza for bacteria. 

 Cultivations were made from lungs, trachea, spleen, and kidney, on 

 agar. Having found in five cases Streptococcus pyogenes vel erysipe- 

 latis^ the author asks if this microbe can be the excitant of influenza. 

 If this be the case it is obvious that the Streptococcus must have ac- 

 quired, temporarily at least, pathogenic properties diflering a good deal 

 from those usually attributed to it, but it may be acknowledged that 

 when once the disease has been set up, this micro-organism plays at 

 least an important though secondary part. — Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. 

 u. Parasitcnk.^ vii (1890), pp. 233-41 \ J. R. M. 6^., June, 1890, pp. 



373-5- 



Bacterial Diseases of Corn. — Prof. T. J. Burrill has from 1881 



to 1889 observed a disease which attacks young corn, and frequently 

 causes great devastation. The first indication is a dwarfish, wasted ap- 

 pearance of the plant. The condition of the soil seems to pay no unim- 

 portant part in the spread of the disease, for the author was able to 

 determine that in a large rye-field, of which one part had been a 

 reclaimed marsh, the plants herein were diseased, while in the drier 



