ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 667 



oil, but considers it probable tbat it does not differ in cbeinical 

 properties from the protoplasm of the vegetative cells. 



Cultivation of Bacteria and Cholera-bacillus.* — Dr. L. Curtis 

 has repeated Koch's experiments on the " comma-bacillus," and agrees 

 generally with his conclusious that it is unlike any other form, that 

 it is peculiar to cholera, and is the cause of the disease. Dr. Curtis 

 states further that the disease is not contagious ; it is only by the 

 bacillus gaining access to the intestinal canal that the disease is 

 caused. The bacillus does not grow in acids ; consequently when 

 digestion is active, the chances of taking cholera are small. It is 

 only at the times when the stomach has ceased to act, as during attacks 

 of indigestion from whatever cause, that cholera comes on. The 

 bacillus grows freely in water and on damp surfaces. It forms no 

 spores, and is not found in the blood ; inoculation is therefore 

 useless. The germ is easily killed, as by a 10 per cent, solution of 

 carbolic acid in twenty-four hours, by corrosive sublimate in a few 

 minutes, or by superheated steam in half an hour. Cold checks its 

 growth, but does not kill it. 



New Bacteriuni-t — Under the name Bacterium tortuosum Herr 

 H. Zukal describes a form found in a tank, the water of which was at 

 first coloured quite green by Englena, but which lost its colour after 

 the appearance of the masses of bacteria. The rods possessed a 

 cilium at each end, and combined into zooglcea-colonies, which 

 assumed a ribbon-like appearance as the rod passed into the filiform 

 form ; these ribbons were 14-20 jx broad and rolled up like shavings. 

 On the fourth day after the swarming condition a great part of the spiral 

 bands had formed spores ; but the germination of these was not 

 observed. Several new species of Fungi and Myxomycetes are also 

 described. 



Bacillus Malarise4 — The observation first made by Laveran 

 some years ago as to the existence of an amoeboid organism in the 

 blood of persons suffering from malarial fevers, and which disappears 

 under the influence of quinine, has comparatively recently been 

 confirmed by Drs. E. Marchiafava and A. Celli.§ 



The parasite is an extremely minute amoeboid organism found 

 free in the blood, or in the interior of the red corpuscles or attached 

 to them. In a certain stage of its development it possesses from 

 one to three or four flagella, and is endowed with active movements. 

 This form is, however, but rarely encountered. In addition to the 

 above-mentioned facts, the organism is frequently found to contain 

 granules of black pigment, such as has been ofttimes noted in the 

 blood of patients suffering from malaria. But little beyond these is 

 known of the life-history of the parasite, although Drs. Marchiafava 

 and Celli have produced malarial paroxysms in persons previously 



* Proc. Amer. Soc. Micr., 8th Ann. Meeting, 1885, pp. 142-50. 

 t Verhandl. K. K. Zool.-Bot. Gesell. Wien, 1885, pp. 333-42 

 X Cf. Science, vii. (1886) pp. 297-9 (28 figs.). 

 $ Fortschr. d. Med., 1885, pp. 339 and 787. 



