604 Transactions of the Society. 



May 1st.— A culture medium made -with gelatin, Carragheen 

 moss, and Liebig's extract of meat, and rendered rather too alkaline, 

 whicli had not been used in any way from the time of making, 

 nearly a month before, was found broken down, very much liquefied, 

 and contaminated with a straight bacillus, which had formed cloud- 

 like dense folds, exceedingly tender, and near to the surface. The 

 two bees and blowfly, also the humble bee and wasp, were each fed 

 with some of this culture on sugar. They all fed eagerly of the 

 same. A medium-sized blackbeetle which had been caught on the 

 27th and treated to the culture of the " comma " bacillus on bread- 

 crumb, was likewise fed with the same straight bacillus. The 

 excreta of the beetle abounded in bacteria and bacilli, and amongst 

 them the comma bacillus in motion. 



This food was repeated on the next day with all the insects, 

 and on the 3rd they were found to be, so far as could be judged, 

 unaffected. The two bees, humble-bee, and blowfly were allowed 

 their liberty in the garden; the bees immediately went to some 

 flowers, but the humble bee circled round until as high as the house, 

 when it immediately flew off in one direction. 



On the 4th and 5th the wasp and beetle were fed with the 

 straight bacillus, and on the 6th another blowfly was put with the 

 wasp. All were again fed with the same culture u|) to the 9 th, 

 when, about 9 a.m., the fly was found on its back, and died very soon 

 after; the abdomen appeared tense and swollen. Within a few 

 minutes a cut was made along one side of the abdomen, when the 

 perivisceral fluid gushed out from this dropsical fly. Several 

 covers were smeared with this clear but very sticky fluid, which 

 would not dry well, but remained tacky and bright like albumen. 



Upon staining, a few short straight rods were found on all the 

 covers, also some diplococci. The fluid was miscible with water, 

 remaining clear. Whether this effusion into the perivisceral cavity 

 was due to the food, or to some by-play on the part of the wasp, I 

 cannot say, but I suspect the latter as the cause of the intense 

 effusion. Unfortunately engagements prevented the examination of 

 the viscera. The wasp was dull and sleepy, and would not feed freely 

 of the culture and sugar. The culture medium had now a rather 

 more unpleasant smell, and when examined was found, though 

 abounding in resting and motile rods, to be largely contaminated 

 with Bacterium termo, the reaction being still markedly alkaline. 



10th. — The wasp had much recovered, and was again fed in 

 the same way. 



lUh. — While changing the saucers and squares of glass the 

 wasp ^ had a very fluid dejection, containing only a small lump 

 of solid matter. The mixed dejection was at once placed on some 

 thin covers, dried without heat, and when examined with the 

 Microscope found to be swarming with short rods and the debris 



