ANIMAL PARASITES INOCULATED INTO PLANTS. l8l 



dipping them for lo to 20 seconds in hot water (90° to 70° C.) All the results were again negative. 

 Some soil bacteria appeared in all the plates which ever way treated. The above mentioned plants 

 had uninjured roots. In additional experiments the roots of the plants were now injured, but the 

 results of the cultures [time intervening not stated] were still negative. 



New experiments were planned in which the bacterial cultures were let into the subsoil by rubber 

 tubes having side openings. The soil and drains were in large flat pans ; on these, earth was laid and 

 this was sowed with lettuce, radish, and cress. When the plants were about 4 cm. high, the infection 

 of the soil through the drains was begun, the fluid being uniformly distributed in all parts of the 

 dishes. The roots of some plants were injured, others not. The results of the subsequent cultures 

 were negative in both cases. It is not stated whether the pans (Schalen) were zinc or copper. 



An experiment was now made with peas. The conditions of the experiment were as before, 

 except that the soil was infected with the typhoid bacillus before the peas had sprouted. The roots 

 were injured when the plants were 4 cm. high. When they were 10 cm. high the plants were cut off 

 close to the earth, washed in sterile water, crushed in a mortar and streaks made at once on Drigalski- 

 media or Endo-media. The results were as follows : i (direct streak) — positive; 2 (Ficker-Hoff- 

 mann's method) — positive; 3, 4 (direct streaks) — negative. 



Five stems were now examined by culture in their upper and lower parts. Three gave negative 

 results, two showed the bacteria in the lower end (pieces 3 cm. long), but not above. The bouillon 

 in which the stems were washed yielded the bacillus when the interior of the stems did not. 



There can at least be no doubt, therefore, that bacteria were brought up out of the soil on the 

 surface of the plants, since the plants were watered with the bacillus entirely from below. 



Another experiment was now made, the soil being first wet from below after the plants were 10 

 cm. high. Some days later the roots were broken, and a few days afterwards [scant time allowed] 

 the plants were examined in the same way as before. Only negative results were obtained. The 

 conclusion reached is that the typhoid organism occurs on the outside of the plant and sticks so fast 

 that it can not be washed away. 



Radish and pea plants were now wet with a suspension of the same culture of the typhoid 

 bacillus for comparison. After 14 days the bacillus was found abundant on the leaves and stems of 

 the peas in spite of direct sunlight, but had disappeared from the radish by the fourth day. The 

 radish leaves appeared to be an unfavorable surface. The surfaces of radish roots grown in infected 

 soil were now tested for the presence of the typhoid bacillus after they had been washed until all 

 visible dirt was removed. In all cases the typhoid bacillus was found in abundance on the surface 

 of such roots. 



PLANT PARASITES INOCULATED INTO ANIMALS. 



In 1895 Ostrowsky reported as moderately pathogenic to rabbits a short rod-shaped 

 Schizomycete said to have been isolated from the browned interior of grape-stems. 



The rabbits were inoculated intravenously (quantity not stated) a slight fever super- 

 vened, there was rapid loss of weight (400 grams in 8 to 10 days) and on autopsy there 

 were sometimes small miliary abscesses in the spleen or liver. 



The organism is not well described. It liquefies gelatin; the colonies are moist, soft 

 and whitish on agar. It is apparently aerobic. In old gelatin cultures there is a brown 

 stain. No evidence is offered in support of the statement that it is parasitic on the vine, 

 and as a matter of fact Viala and Ravaz state that it was not, i. e., no disease of the vine 

 could be induced with it by means of inoculations. 



In 1899 Charrin and Viala state that when the microbe of gelevure, otherwise known 

 as Mai nero, Gommose bacillaire, Maromba, Maladie d'oleran, etc., was first inoculated 

 it caused at most the death of some fish, but by repeated inoculations into rabbits it caused 

 frequently a slight enteritis with some fever and loss of appetite, etc., ending in recovery 

 in the greater number of cases. The germ is said to require education. It is not described. 

 Owing to its speculative character and the absence of all details as to the exact nature of 

 the experiments, the paper does not tend to win the confidence of the reader. There are 

 many opportunities for error. Moreover, the etiology of Mai nero itself is still in doubt, 

 with the probabilities against its being of bacterial origin. 



According to Dr. V. A. Moore Bacillus cloacae, supposed to be the cause of a disease 

 in maize, has no effect on experimental animals except when injected into the blood stream 

 in large quantities. 



