1890.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 265 



MEDICAL MICROSCOPY. 



By F. BLANCHARD, M. D., 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 



Staining Nerve Tissues. — To those engaged in studying the mi- 

 croscopy of nerve tissues we recommend the series of articles running 

 in the Jourfial of Nei'voiis and Mental Diseases^ from the pen of 

 Henry S. Upson, M. D. The article in the October number, on Gold 

 Chloride, is particularly valuable. The technical directions are clear, 

 the remarks upon chemical reactions are instructive, and the three 

 photo-micrographs are good. 



Malarial Fevers. — Archives per le Scienze Med.^ vol. xiii., No. 

 7, contains an article by Golgi in which he claims that the tertian and 

 quartan varieties of malarial fever are caused by two parasites biologi- 

 cally and morphologically different. 



The two microbes are said to differ in form and contour, segmen- 

 tation, degree of motility, period of development, and in their action 

 upon the red blood corpuscle and hemoglobin. 



We wait with interest the confirmation by other observers of these 

 statements. 



Invisible Assailants of Health. — Under this title, Samuel Hart, 

 M. D., in the Poptilar Science Monthly for October, makes a suc- 

 cessful attempt to popularize some of our present knowledge of patho- 

 genic micro-organisms. Such popular expositions of the rudiments 

 of bacteriology are greatly needed at the present day to dispel the ig- 

 norance and incredulity that so often obstruct the laudable efforts of 

 health officers to choke epidemics of contagious diseases. We espe- 

 cially commend it to the perusal of those physicians who " don't take 

 no stock in microbes." 



Habitat of the Tetanus Germ. — Frequent notes relating to the 

 microbe of tetanus continue t'o appear in the medical journals all over 

 the world. Whatever may be the ultimate conclusion as to the form, 

 name, etc., of the specific microbe, it seems certain that it lives and 

 multiplies in earth and in the dirt of floors, stables, etc. This is the 

 reason why wounds of the feet are so apt to be followed by tetanus. 

 The wound from a rusty nail produces lock-jaw because the rusty nail 

 carries into the wound dirt mixed with the spores of the specific mi- 

 crobe, and not because there is any pathogenic power of that kind in 

 oxide of iron. The utilitarian application of the fact is that wounds 

 into which dirt has entered should be cleansed and disinfected as speedily 

 and thoroughly as possible. 



The Toxic Product of Lofflers' Bacillus Diptherise. — Brieger 

 and Friinkel have done some good work upon the chemistry and toxi- 

 cology of this substance. It was obtained from pure pepton broth 

 cultures of the bacillus, in the form of a snow-white, amorphous pow- 

 der, very poisonous, and producing symptoms similar to those pro- 

 duced by inoculations with the bacillus. In its chemical reactions it 

 closely resembled serum albumen ; and an ultimate organic analysis 

 showed a composition closely allied to pepton, with the following per- 

 centages : C. 45.35, H. 7.13, N. 16.33, S. 1.39, O. 29. So. — Jour. 

 Am. Med. Association., Oct. iS, 1890. 



