238 



THE AMEEICAN MONTHLY 



[December, 



cers should, therefore, consider how 

 the members generally can be best in- 

 terested and instructed, and in doing 

 this they may reasonably hope that 

 some of them will be led to investigate 

 special subjects, and become recog- 

 nized authorities in the fields of work 

 chosen. 



If the meetings are to be interesting 

 and instructive somebody must woi'k 

 to make them so. -It involves no lit- 

 tle labor on the part of the few who 

 undertake to conduct a successful so- 

 ciety. Still, the time thus spent is 

 not without profit both to the indi- 

 vidual and to the members. One 

 need not be thoroughly informed up- 

 on microscopical subjects to be an 

 efficient leader. It requires energy, 

 interest, and a willingness to work, 

 moi"e than anything else. Let those 

 who are willing to give their time and 

 work for the benefit of others who do 

 little else than attend the meetings to 

 learn what they can, study up and 

 present different subjects of interest 

 in papers, or more informally, and 

 continue in this way. After awhile 

 they will find others coming forward, 

 and the society will grow. 



If the meetings can be made instruc- 

 tive members will be sure to attend. 

 If they are dull, and if nothing is done 

 to make the time pass profitabh^ as 

 well as pleasantly, so that members will 

 feel that it is worth while to attend, 

 the society might as well disband. 

 o 



The Cholera Microbe. — Dr. 

 Van Ermengem, who has been study- 

 ing the microbe discovered by Dr. 

 Koch which is associated with Asi- 

 atic cholera, recently presented a valua- 

 ble contribution before the Microscop- 

 ical Society of Belgium, which is pub- 

 lished in the Btilletin. His researches 

 confirm the obsei^vations of Dr. Koch, 

 and controvert those of Messrs. Finck- 

 ler and Prior, who claimed to have 

 discovered a microbe quite similar to 

 Koch's comma-bacillus in the dejecta 

 of patients suffering from cholera 

 nostras. 



The paper of Dr. Van Ermengem 



is a long one, and we can only briefly 

 allude to the i^esults of his investiga- 

 tions as follows : — 



He finds that an organism resem- 

 bling the comma-bacillus discovered 

 by Koch exists in the intestines of per- 

 sons attacked by cholera, its incui^ved 

 form, its grouping like Sand in chains, 

 produced by the juxtaposition of its 

 articles, and at times its configuration 

 in slightly undulating filaments, fur- 

 nish characters which enable it to be 

 easily recognized. The microscopic 

 examination of dejections suffices to 

 establish the diagnosis of Asiatic 

 cholera when preparations are ob- 

 tained in which the diverse forms of. 

 commas predominate. 



The study of the morphological 

 characters of the commas at their va- 

 rious periods of development, culti- 

 vated in diffei-ent media, principally 

 in chicken bouillon and serum, indi- 

 cate that they should be placed in the 

 genus Spij'ilhtm. No period of sporu- 

 lation has been observed. The most 

 favorable temperature for their devel- 

 opment is 35°-37° C. 



Inoculation experiments with pro- 

 ducts of culture have given very en- 

 couraging results on several species of 

 animals. 



The cultures of organisms to which 

 Finckler and Prior attributed the pro- 

 duction of cholera nostras were im- 

 pure. 



Koch's method of culture on a slide 

 is highly recommended to obtain the 

 comma-bacillus pure. It is conducted 

 as follows : After having charged a 

 needle with the organisms of a pre- 

 vious culture, the needle is carefully 

 washed in lOO c. c. of sterilized water. 

 The organisms thus introduced are 

 disseminated through the w^ater, and 

 one drop is then taken in a pipette and 

 added to 2 c. c. of a 10 per cent, so- 

 lution of gelatin, liquified at 25*^ C. 

 This gelatin is then cooled on two 

 slips of glass placed horizontal, and 

 protected under bell-glasses. The 

 growths start from centres, and the 

 different organisms are thus perfectly 

 separated. 



