ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 1017 



space, and also by spore-formation. As the young bacilli grow up, they 

 may show at both ends prominent spherules, or they may develope into 

 long thiclc threads, at the extremities of which may appear dark granules. 

 These granules develope into new bacilli, and form a filament placed 

 vertically to the original cell. From the appearances produced by these 

 formations, Keisser supposed them to be gonidia, and in his first work so 

 called them. 



The foregoing organisms thrive in various media, especially in agar 

 to which glycerin is added at incubation heat. They do not liquefy 

 gelatin. The reaction of the nutrient is of slight importance, provided 

 it be not too acid. The most suitable method of staining was as follows : 

 — (1) Stain in warm carbolic fuchsin, wash in 1 per cent, sulphuric acid, 

 and then contrast stain with a watery or Loeffler's methylen-blue solution ; 

 or (2) stain in anilin-methyl-violet solution, wash in 1 per cent. H2SO4, 

 and contrast stain with an acid brown. By this method the ground-sub- 

 stance and certain granules and spherules of a round or oval shape are 

 distinguishable. 



From the microscopical appearances as shown by staining, and from 

 the fact that cultivation experiments always showed spores, it was deduced 

 that the spherules were to be regarded as endogenous spores, and not as 

 resting-spores merely. 



In Streptococci nothing analogous to spore-formation was observed. 

 Although a difference in the intensity of staining, and a fission in 

 the direction parallel to that of the chain, were noticed with cholera 

 spirilla, the author's results were negative, and he regards the gaps and 

 spherules found in old agar cultivations as having nothing to clo with 

 spores. 



Pathogenic chromo-aromatic Microbe.* — Prof. V. Galtier has found 

 a new bacillus in a pig which died with well-marked lesions in the 

 respiratory and digestive organs. 



This bacillus, which is pathogenic to rabbits and guinea-pigs, is 

 cultivable in various media which have been inoculated with the blood 

 of animals dead after intravenous injection. The chief characteristic of 

 this microbe is its property of secreting a coloured and aromatic 

 substance. In bouillon these microbes form whitish masses, while at the 

 same time the liquid begins to assume a light yellow-green colour, which 

 goes on deepening until it dies away into a slaty-brown. The same 

 hue is observed on agar-agar, on gelatin (which is rapidly liquefied), and 

 on potato. The cultures, especially those made in bouillon, give off a 

 well-marked agreeable and persistent aroma. 



Vibrios.j — Dr. E. Weibel has continued to investigate tLe character- 

 istics of these micro-organisms,| and the following are the main facts of 

 his communication. 



Further examination of the vibrio from nasal mucus, left it an open 

 question whether this microbe could become pathogenic ; in some experi- 

 ments the mice died, in others they did not. 



Vibrios from tongue-fur. — Bent rodlets which are about the same size 

 as those of cholera. Some elements are swollen at the ends, and the 



* Journ. de Med. Veterinaire ot de Zootechnie, xxsix. (1888) June. 

 t Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., iv. (188S) pp. 225-32 (6 figs.) 257-6'± 

 (4 figs.), 289-95. t See this Journal, mite', p. 99. 



