88 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



1-1-5 /J, and a breadth of 0-3 /a; larger individuals, found nearer 

 the surface, being 4 • 2 /x, long and 1 • 1 /x broad. Where the individuals 

 are more scattered, they occur mostly in pairs, rarely a number con- 

 nected into a torula-like chain. When present in masses the cells lie 

 so close topiether that it is difficult to determine whether they 

 are connected or not. They are then imbedded in a gelatinous 

 envelope, and thus combined in masses into a colony. Addition of 

 acetic acid makes the mass clearer, so that the combination in pairs 

 and the more rod-like form of the separate cells is more readily seen. 

 These organisms penetrate the epithelium. They are found chiefly 

 in the mouth and throat ; and may be conveyed through the air, 

 by direct contact, through the saliva, or by contact with a great 

 variety of objects, as plates or di'inkiug glasses, clothes, toys, linen, 

 &c. The most favourable nidus for their development and fatal 

 activity is when, from injury to the cuticle, they come into direct 

 contact with the blood and tissues. 



The author believes the micrococcus to be specifically distinct 

 from those which produce other infectious diseases. The apparent 

 spontaneous production in some cases of diphtherial disease may arise 

 from the germs being present in some other organism in a different 

 form, in which it is incapable of producing disease, or from its being 

 present in the infected subject in a latent condition, waiting favourable 

 conditions for its development. The average length of time through 

 which the disease runs before reaching its culmination may be stated 

 as from two to five days. 



Properties and Functions of Bacteria,* — Prof. J. B. Schnetzler 

 finds that Bacteria, as well as Infusoria of the genus VorticeUa, live 

 and exhibit activity in a solution of curare ; moreover the muscles 

 and cilia of the Turbellarian Planaria torva and some of the muscles 

 of Gammarus pulex were found to act with energy after being exposed 

 to the same reagent for twenty-four hours. But Bacillus suhtilis is killed 

 immediately by perchloride of iron solution. The bacteria produced 

 during decomposition of a plant do not produce fatal results when 

 injected into the vessels of a rabbit. Prof. Schnetzler shows that a 

 highly organized plant may be watered exclusively by a fetid liquid 

 full of bacteria, without undergoing fermentation or decomposition 

 of its parts ; the bacteria {Micrococcus and Bacillus) may be found 

 in the leaves, but they also occur in those of plants which have been 

 watered with ordinary water. - 



Finding bacteria in the condensed moisture which appears on the 

 cover of a vessel containing bacteria and green algfe, Prof. Schnetzler 

 explains their appearance there by the bursting of the bubbles of 

 oxygen which rise to the surface under the influence of sunlight and 

 in bursting scatter the bacteria which they have brought up with 

 them. 



Atmospheric Bacteria,! — Continuing his previous investigations, 

 on this subject,! P, Miquel gives the averages since obtained by him, 



* Bull. Soc, Vaudoise Sci. Nat., xvii. (1881) pp. 625-32. 

 t Bull. Soo. Bot. France, xxviii. (1881); Rev Bibl., p. 11. 

 X See this Journal, iii. (1880) p. 837, 



