698 SUMMAEY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Woodhead and Hare's 'Pathological Mycology.'* — As in the 

 case of the ' Practical Pathology ' of the first-named author, any success 

 which may attend the publication of this work must depend in great 

 measure upon the skill of the artist. Those who visited the Bio- 

 logical Laboratory at the Health Exhibition last year will at once 

 recognize the accuracy of the coloured figures representing the mode 

 of growth of bacteria, most of which were imported from Dr. Koch's 

 laboratory on nutrient jelly, potatoes, and bread-paste. The draw- 

 ings made from microscopical preparations are artistically executed. 

 In fig. 7 we notice that large numbers of micrococci with capsules 

 stained by gentian violet are represented in sputum from a case of 

 acute pneumonia. A description of the special method, if any, 

 which was used in the staining of this specimen would be interesting 

 as our own experience coincides with that of Friedlander that, though 

 the capsule can be easily demonstrated in the tissues, its presence can 

 hardly be detected in sputum by staining methods. 



The description of the processes which are generally useful for 

 staining bacteria is somewhat confused, and we cannot agree with the 

 authors that " Baumgarten's method " (by which the bacteria are ex- 

 amined in an unstained condition) " is undoubtedly one of the most 

 effective, and may be applied to any of the fluids." It must be ad- 

 mitted by any one who has practical experience in the microscopical 

 examination of bacteria, that especially when present in small numbers, 

 they are rendered much more conspicuous when properly stained than 

 when merely treated with a solution of caustic potash. The subject 

 . of the cultivation of bacteria leaves much to be desired, as a descrip- 

 tion of many useful methods of study is omitted. The important 

 question of illumination is dismissed in less than a page. Neverthe- 

 less, in spite of its shortcomings, the book will undoubtedly be found 

 a useful guide by those who are unable to refer to foreign literature, 

 and it is probably the best of the very few books on the subject in 

 the English language, though it can hardly pretend to compare with 

 the excellent practical and theoretical works by some of those, such 

 as Hiippe and Pfliigge, who have worked under Dr. Koch's guidance 

 for a long time. 



* Woodhead, G. S., and A. W. Hare, ' Pathological Mycology. An inquiry 

 into the Etiology of Infective Diseases.' Sec. I. Methods, x. and 174 pp., 60 figs. 

 8vo, Edinburgh, 1885. 



