268 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



Lnbarsch, anthrax bacilli killed by boiling, are not so quickly taken up 

 by leucocytes in the frog, as when injected in the living condition. 



Against the theory are ranged numerous writers and experimenters, 

 among whom may be mentioned Baumgarten and Weigert, who while 

 accepting the data, doubt the interpretation of the facts and the correct- 

 ness of the hypothesis. Experiments made by C. D. Holmfeld showed 

 that only a few bacteria were taken up by leucocytes, and that the 

 greater number of bacteria were destroyed outside the cells. Emmerich 

 gives similar results ; thus after inoculating rabbits with erysipelas he 

 found that this conferred a certain immunity against subsequent inocula- 

 tion with anthrax, and also that the destruction of the bacteria was 

 chiefly extra-cellular, and that the phagocytes made away chiefly with 

 the dead bacilli. Again, it is noticed by the author (H. Bitter), that in 

 none of Metschnikoffs works, or in those of other writers, is it cert linly 

 proved that the bacteria are only destroyed by phagocytes, and by these 

 alone, and in conjunction with Nuttall has proved this experimentally. 



With regard to Metschnikoff's experiments on frogs at high 

 temperatures, it is obvious that the fluids of the body may become so 

 altered by the increased heat that this fluid is thereby no longer able to 

 weaken the bacteria. 



Moreover, a series of observations has shown that anthrax bacilli 

 have always sufiiered some damage before they became a sacrifice to the 

 phagocytes. On the whole the author inclines to bring in a verdict of 

 not proven. 



Bacteria of Fodder and Seeds.* — It had been proposed by Emmer- 

 ling to ascertain the freshness of fodder by the quantity of fungus germs 

 contained therein, but Herr Hiltner concludes from his researches that 

 bacteria are more suitable for this purpose tl;an fungi, and, therefore, 

 proceeded to go thoroughly into the question of the influence of these 

 microbes (bacteria) on seeds and fodder. 



In addition to certain kinds of bacteria not accurately determined, 

 the author found Clostridium in all kinds of fodder. In about half the 

 number of cases, on digesting with water, bacteria only developed, and 

 no fungi. If both appear, they do so at different intervals of time ; the 

 bacteria first, the fungi later. 



With regard to the question where the bacteria originate, the author 

 believes that they are always present within the uninjured seed. Seeds 

 which have lost their germinating power are always found to be full of 

 bacttria ; and in badly germinating seeds they may be found in the young 

 roots, which then have brown tips, and look glassy. It is interesting 

 to note that each kind of seed has one or more peculiar bacteria which 

 appear afterwards in the fodder. From investigation it was found that 

 the germinative power of peas was always destroyed by Clostridium, 

 and that of red clover by Bacillus suhtilis. 



If the seeds are able to germinate and develope normally, the bacteria 

 cease to be harmful. Late-germinating seeds, the cells of which are 

 full of bacteria, develope quite normally if light and air have free access 

 to the earth above them. They are not even damaged if grown in 

 a nutrient medium crowded and cloudy with bacteria. If, however, a 

 germling be covered with a glass jar, it perishes at once. Thus, experi- 

 ments with peas showed that the cotyledons were reduced to a pulp in 



* ' Lnndwirthschaftliche Versuchsstation,' xxiv. (1887) pp. 391-402. 



