THE BACILLUS OF MALIGNANT (EDEMA. 333 



" Direct sunlight robs it of its poisonous properties 

 in from fifteen to eighteen hours. 



" Its activity is not diminished by diluting a fixed 

 amount with water or nutrient bouillon. 



" Mineral acids and strong alkalies lessen its inten- 

 sity." 



The chemical nature of this poison is not positively 

 known, but from the recent observations of Brieger 

 and Cohn it is not to be classed with the albumins in 

 the sense in which the word is commonly used. When 

 obtained in a pure, concentrated form its toxic proper- 

 ties are seen to be altered by acids, by alkalies, by sul- 

 phuretted hydrogen, and by temperatures above 70° C. 

 Even when carefully protected from liglit, moisture, 

 and air it gradually becomes diminished in strength. 

 When freshly prepared by the methods of the authors 

 just cited its potency is almost incredible, 0.000,05 

 milligramme being sufficient to cause fatal tetanus in 

 a mouse weighing fifteen grammes. 



THE BACILLUS OF MALIGNANT CEDEMA. 



The bacillus of malignant oedema, also known as the 

 vibrion septique is another pathogenic forni almost 

 everywhere present in the soil. In certain respects it 

 is a little like the bacillus of anthrax, and was at one 

 time confounded with it, but it diifers in the marked 

 peculiarity of being a strict anaerobe. It was first 

 observed by Pasteur, but it was not until later that 

 Koch, Liborius, Kitt, and others, described its pecu- 

 liarities in detail. It can usually be obtained by 

 inserting under the skin of rabbits or guinea-pigs small 

 portions of garden earth, street dust, or decomposing 



