696 SUMMA.RY OP CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



described by Friedlander as the excitant of the croupous form of 

 pneumonia ; it was cultivated witb success in solutions of grape- and 

 cane-sug-ar neutralized with lime and containing fibrin and nutrient 

 salts, sodium chloride, potassium phosphate, and magnesium sulphate. 

 The author describes the precautions used in preparing sterilized 

 flasks, &c. 



Bacterium ureae.* — This microbe, hitherto known only in the 

 micrococcus form, has been observed by M. A. Billet also in the 

 diplococcus, streptococcus, bacterium, diplobacterium, streptobac- 

 terium, leptothrix, and vibrio conditions. The different forms may 

 be associated in the same filament, showing that they all belong to a 

 single species. The micrococcus and torula forms occur always in 

 ammoniacal urine ; the leptothrix, bacterium, streptobacterium, and 

 vibrio forms are more frequent in acid urine left in contact with the 

 air. In proportion as the acidity diminishes, the elements of a 

 filament divide more and more and separate into elements which are 

 ultimately the micrococcus form. 



The most instructive preparations were obtained by the use of 

 methyl-violet B in very dilute aqueous solution, and mounting in 

 Canada balsam or glycerin saturated with tincture of iodine. 



Identity of Bacterium fcetidum (Thin) with Soil Cocci.f — Mr. 



Spencer Le M. Moore gives details of experiments affording morpho- 

 logical and chemical proof of the identity of Bacterium fontidum 

 Thin (found on the soles of the feet) with the cocci of surface soil 

 (" corpuscles brillants " of Pasteur). Access of the ferment to the 

 sole of the foot must take place by the penetration of fine dust 

 containing ferment through the seams of boots ; for not only is the 

 ferment of universal occurrence in surface soil derived from deposits 

 belonging to all the great geological horizons, but cocci are always 

 to be fo\ind upon the feet even under the most cleanly conditions. 

 Whether the ferment has any relation of causation to an abnormal 

 escape of fluid from the soles is a very obscure problem. The soil 

 ferment is possessed of greater chemical energy than is the 

 bacterium. 



Artificial Attenuation of Bacillus anthracis.J — Drs. Koch, 

 Gaffky, and Loffler made experiments, as a control of Pasteur's 

 observations, on the attenuation of the virulence of Bacillus anthracis, 

 and on inoculation with the attenuated bacilli to confer artificial 

 immunity against the virulent form of splenic fever. The thermostat 

 of Arsonval was used as an incubator. Small pieces of virulent 

 splenic fever material were introduced, with proper precautions, into 

 Erlenmeyer's tubes, and kept at a temperature of 42°-43° C. The 

 alterations in virulence were tested by taking samples of the cultiva- 

 tions, and introducing them directly, or after further cultivation in 

 meat-jelly on glass slides, into mice, guinea-pigs, rabbits, and wethers. 



* Comptes Eendus, c. (1885) pp. 1252-3. 

 t Journ. of Bot., xxiii. (1885) pp. 149-53, 

 X MT. K. Gesuudheitsamte, ii. (1884). 



