127 
of carbolic acid, boric acid and mercury bichloride. Alcohol is, 
however, an effective remedy, and when dropped in the ear once 
or twice daily for about four days it effects a complete cure. 
A case of infection of the ear by Aspergillus nigricans Cooke 
has recently been brought to the attention of the writer. In this 
case there has been also repeated infections with Micrococcus, 
resulting in small abscesses. Several physicians and ear special- 
ists consulted from time to time were led by this condition to 
overlook the presence of the fungus which was evidently of 
primary importance. The treatment with mercury bichloride 
(1 : 1,000) checked the infections due to the micrococci, but the 
fungus continued to develop, at times almost filling the ear cavity 
with mycelium and producing an abundance of spores. In this 
condition it was easily isolated in pure cultures. At present 
report the treatment with alcohol appears to have entirely 
removed the infection from the ear 
A. B. Stour. 
THE KAFFIR ORANGE. 
(Wits Fic. 1.) 
Reports and records of edible fruits of Sétrychnos or fruits 
closely related to those of strychnine and nux-vomica plants, 
have been current for many years. They, however, have often 
been seriously doubted. 
In the spring of 1903, Dr. David Fairchild introduced plants 
of a species of Strychnos from Portugese East Africa, into the 
Subtropical Garden of the United States Department of Agri- 
culture at Miami, Florida. These plants are said to represent 
the species Sirychnos spinosa. This plant is native of a large 
part of Africa lying south of the desert region. At Miami it is a 
spine-armed shrub of slow growth, especially in its younger stage, 
with a rambling habit, more or less drooping, very slender branch- 
lets, small leaves, and very small, as well as inconspicuous, 
clustered flowers. The size of the branches, the leaves, and the 
flowers are each and all out of proportion to the size and the 
weight of the fruits. These are globular, and superficially they 
