PKOCEEDINaS OF THE SOCIETY. 383 



his attention to this subject, which was one of great practical interest 

 in these days of extended research on micro-organisms. He regarded 

 as of special practical value the power of obtaining black-ground 

 illumination with objectives of the largest aperture. 



Mr. Cheshire and Mr. Cheyne's paper "On the Pathogenic 

 History of a New Bacillus (B. alvei) " was introduced by Mr. Cheshire, 

 who said that attention had been called to a very serious disease 

 which had prevailed amongst hive bees, attacking the larvee to so great 

 an extent that in some instances whole stocks had been exterminated. 

 The disease was known as " foul brood," from the disagreeable smell 

 which came from the affected hives, and from the idea that it was con- 

 fined to the larval state. On careful investigation, however, it 

 appeared that the disease was due to a bacillus, and that the bees 

 themselves, including the queen, suffered from it. It was very satis- 

 factory to be able to announce that they had discovered that the 

 disease yielded very readily to treatment, which consisted in feeding 

 the larvae with a syrup containing 1/600 per cent, of phenol. 



Mr. Cheyne followed with a detailed explanation of the methods 

 adopted in tracing out the life-history of the Bacillus, and exhibited 

 in illustration a series of tubes and bottles in which its propagation 

 had been carried on. It was not possible to rely upon the shape as 

 determining whether the Bacillus was a new form or not, but the 

 completion of a series of experiments and observations enabled him to 

 say that this was a new form, and that it was really the cause of the 

 disease. It had been named Bacillus alvei. 



Mr. Dowdeswell regarded this communication as one of great 

 interest, and especially remarked upon the fact that this was the only 

 instance he had heard of in which the virus of the disease had been 

 taken in with the food instead of being communicated by inoculation. 

 He felt that they were greatly indebted to Mr. Cheyne for so clearly 

 demonstrating the methods employed for the observation of the 

 development of the organism. 



Mr. Crisp said that that was not the only claim which Mr. Cheyne 

 had upon their admiration, as it would be remembered that it was he 

 who had organized the Biological Laboratory at the Health Exhibition, 

 which had proved so great a success. 



The President expressed his regret that the hour was so late as to 

 preclude the possibility of further discussion on the paper, in which 

 there were many points of exceptional interest. 



Mr. Fowke read a paper " On the First Discovery of the Comma- 

 Bacillus of Cholera," illustrating his remarks by photographs and 

 drawings. He showed that the bacillus was known and recognized 

 thirty-five years ago by two Englishmen, Messrs. Brittan and Swayne. 



Dr. Maddox pointed out that it was by the breaking up of the 

 rings discovered by the original observers that the so-called " comma " 

 bacilli were formed. 



