168 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



words, by a careful study of such appearances as are exeuiplified 

 in. tlie specimens I show here this evening. It is easy, then, to see 

 how important it must be to anyone working at this subject to 

 have access to an authoritative collection of naked-eye specimens 

 for comparison and reference. They can be still further utilized, 

 however. It is to be borne in mind that such specimens keep 

 alive and capable of development for many years, and that, with a 

 little skilful manipulation of the blowpipe, it is possible to open 

 any of these tubes, &c., so as to allow of a few germs being 

 withdrawn — under suitable antiseptic precautions — without con- 

 taminating or injuring the specimen. The germs could then be 

 sown on suitable substrata or inoculated into animals, and 

 questions of identity speedily and finally settled. Such an opera- 

 tion would of course require to be confided to a skilful hand. But 

 supposing an important investigation affecting public health were 

 in progress, the advantage of having at hand so decisive a means 

 of settling a debatable point is at once obvious. 



It now only remains for me to give credit where credit is 

 due, and it is to my esteemed correspondent, Dr. Krai, of Prag, 

 Bohemia, that I must give the credit for having worked out the 

 problem how to prepare these lowly organisms for museum pur- 

 poses. The specimens I show this evening have been prepared by 

 him, and he is at all times ready to supply such collections. I 

 am at present working at some Schizomycetes which have lately 

 created some excitement by their ravages in this city — the 

 bacillus of typhoid, and that which, entering the system during 

 an attack of influenza, is the most fertile cause of a fatal termina- 

 tion to that malady — Frankel's Pneumonia Diplococcus. I have suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining them both in pure cultivation from the bodies 

 of persons who have succumbed to these diseases, and I purpose 

 adding them as the first Irish specimens to this collection of 

 Continental bacteria. I very much doubt, however, whether it 

 will be possible for me to produce such good results as Dr. Krai. 

 Here are his specimens of these two organisms. (Specimens 

 shown). And I may add in conclusion, that I shall be glad, at 

 any time, to receive information or material that may enable me to 

 add cultivations of organisms that produce infectious disease in our 

 horses, cattle, pigs, or other domestic animals, to the nucleus which 

 I have had the honour of laying before the Eoyal Dublin Society 

 this evening. 



