268 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



is retained — say 35°-38° ; for then the virulence of the poison is more 

 pronounced than when the cultivation is undertaken with a thick 

 layer. If, on the other hand, a high temperature, 42°-45°, is brought 

 to bear on thin layers subjected to great pressure, the bacilli in 

 them become almost inoffensive. The author applies the epithet of 

 eugenesique to the lower and of dysgenesique to the higher tempera- 

 tures just mentioned. 



Bacteria in the Human Amnion.* — Trinchese describes in a 

 brief note Bacteria discovered on the internal surface of the amnion 

 of a foetus extruded after the third month of gestation. The perfect 

 freshness of the membrane made it impossible to explain the presence 

 of these germs as being due to incipient putrefaction ; and, on the 

 other hand, it was equally certain that the mother was not suffering 

 from any infectious disease. The epithelial cells of the amnion were 

 quite unaltered, except that the nucleus contained a large cavity filled 

 with liquid, in which were a great number of Bacteria ; the nuclear 

 substance itself was pressed to one side, and had assumed a crescent- 

 like form. In all other respects the tissues were quite normal. 



A fuller account of this interesting phenomenon is promised 

 shortly, and the present note is published to stimulate inquiries into 

 the causes of abortion ; it is possible that the presence of microphytes 

 may have a great deal to do with it. 



Bacillus of "Rouget."! — Pasteur and Thuillier show that the 

 bacillus of " rouget," as found in pigs, can be attenuated by passing it 

 through rabbits. The inoculated rabbits are all rendered very ill or die, 

 but pigs inoculated with the bacillus after the virus has been passed 

 through a series of rabbits have " rouget " in a mild form, and enjoy 

 immunity from further attacks. A series of inoculations carried 

 through pigeons, on the other hand, increases the virulence of the 

 disease when a pig is inoculated from the last of the pigeons. 



Living Bacilli in the Cells of Vallisneria.J — T. S. Ealph records 

 the presence of these organisms, and states that there is a little 

 difficulty attending the demonstration, but that if the following 

 directions are carried out with other water-plants, he believes they 

 will be seen in those cases also. § 



A thin section of the cuticle of the leaf of Vallisneria should be 

 sliced off, and placed on a slide, with the cuticular surface next the 

 cover, and then the slide should be placed on a rest, with the cover 

 downwards or towards the table, and remain there for five minutes at 

 least, in order to allow the organisms to fall on to the cuticular walls 

 of the cells, and then examined under a 1/4 in. objective. They must 

 be looked for in the quadrate cells, and will be seen moving about 

 the chlorophyll-grains, even when cyclosis may be going on ; and 

 after the lapse of some minutes they will gravitate out of sight, 



* Atti R. Accad. Lincei, vii. (1883) p. 237. 

 t Comptes Eendus, xcvii. (1883) pp. 1163-9. 

 1 Journ. of Microscopy, iii. (1884) pp. 17-8. 



§ He has since found them in Anacharis. See Proc. Eoy. Soc. Victoria, 

 10th May, 1883. 



