^"j 6 Microscopic Organisms in Blood and their Relation to Disease, [part hi. 



becomes at last so thin and transparent that it can no longer be distinguished from its 

 contents." 



It is, I think, extremely probable that MM. Cohn and Koch may suggest as an 

 explanation of the discrepancy between their description and figures and those given 

 by Dr. Ewart, that the latter has described and figured the spore (or conidium) of a 

 totally different plant, accidentally present ; and MM. Nageli and de Bary would 

 (in the absence of exact data as to size) in all probability pronounce the germination 

 depicted in the last figure reproduced as being that of a conidium of one or other of 

 our ubiquitous moulds. 



Like Koch, Dr. Ewart found that mice could be fed with splenic-disease material 

 mixed with their food without any evil effects ensuing, and that "the spores may 

 be found in the alimentary canal of such mice, sometimes as if in process of development 

 into rods and filaments." With reference to the last remark, a person constantly 

 engaged in microscopic work may question whether it is possible to distinguish these 

 glistening free " spores " from the myriads of other glistening molecules found in the 

 intestinal canal of all animals. 



Contrary to the results hitherto obtained and published by others in support of 

 the view that bacillus anthracis is itself the specific virus of splenic fever, Dr. Ewart 

 finds that the filaments are not absolutely motionless, but that, at certain stages, they 

 manifest active movements, so that the strongest argument which has hitherto been 

 adduced in favour of these organisms being a peculiar species has disappeared.* 



Dr. Ewart found also that the bacilli of splenic fever in guinea-pigs difiered in 

 size from similar bodies in affected mice, the bacilli of the former being always longer 

 than those of the latter. It was also ascertained that the bacilli and their "spores" 

 were killed after being boiled for only two minutes, the fluid after this treatment 

 becoming absolutely inert. A like result ensued on similar fluid being subjected to 

 a pressure of twelve atmospheres of oxygen. f Considering the position into which 

 the supporters of the germ doctrine had latterly been driven by their antagonists, 

 . the announcement made above regarding the instability of the " spores " will be 

 unwelcome and none the less so by the circumstance of its having been made by 

 one of their warm adherents. 



A few years ago Mons. P. Bert announced that he had ascertained that compressed 

 oxygen rapidly kills all living beings and tissues. He had paid special attention to 

 ferments in the investigations which he had conducted and had satisfied himself that 



* Since this was written I have observed that A. Frisch had on three occasions seen independent movements 

 of the staves of Bacillwi anthracis in blood obtained immediately after the death of the animals. — Centralllatt 

 fur die wissensoh. Medio 171, April 7, 1877, page 247. 



f Since this was in type a note has appeared in the Com/ptes Rendun (15th July, 1878) which confirms this 

 observation. M. Felz found that compressed oxygen if applied for a sufficiently long period killed the " germs " 

 . as well as the " vibriones " of septic solutions. 



