246 BACTERIOLOGY 



perature of the animal in which they were placed being most 

 favorable to incubation. 



The investigators found that by the use of a special 

 system of illumination and very high magnification, about 

 2000 diameters, there were to be detected within the col- 

 lodion sacs, in from a few days to several weeks, numerous 

 motile points or dots of such minute dimensions that it was 

 often impossible to decide as to their exact form. No such 

 bodies were seen in control collodion sacs placed similarly 

 in the peritoneum of animals but in which sacs none of the 

 tissue or juices from a diseased animal had been inclosed. 

 Nocard and Roux are disposed to regard these bodies as 

 the exciting cause of the disease under consideration. 



Flexner and Noguchi announce that by the use of Nogu- 

 chi's method for cultivating spirochetae they have isolated 

 from the central nervous tissues of both man and monkeys ■ 

 dead of poliomyelitis, minute coccus-like bodies that they 

 believe to be the cause of the disease. The culture medium 

 consists of human ascetic fluid to which a fragment of sterile 

 fresh rabbit kidney has been added. The cultivation is con- 

 ducted at first under anaerobic conditions but later sub- 

 cultures do not demand complete absence of free oxygen. 

 When ready the tubes are inoculated with small bits of the 

 diseased cerebrum or cord after which a thick layer of sterile 

 paraffin oil is placed upon the surface of the ascetic fluid. 



This suffices for the exclusion of free oxygen. After from 

 seven to twelve days at body temperature a diffuse clouding 

 or opalescence appears about the bit of nervous tissue in 

 the tube. Microscopic examination of this opalescent matter 

 reveals the presence of coccoid bodies conspicuous for their 

 variation in size. 



Their true nature has not been determined. The disease 



