768 



DR JAMES BUCHANAN YOUNG ON THE 



The conclusions which I would draw from my results are these, briefly : — 



First. — That the soil of graveyards contains, as a rule, more bacteria than virgin soil, 

 the difference being most marked in the deeper layers, although the number of bacteria 

 is not so great as one would expect. 



Second. — That, as Eeimers has pointed out, the bacteria are not most numerous 

 immediately surrounding the coffin, but at some distance above. 



Third. — That at a short distance under the coffin there is a marked diminution in 

 the number of bacteria present in the soil. 



Fourth. — That liquefying bacteria, especially Proteus vulgaris, are very abundant in 

 soil from the immediate vicinity of coffins. 



Fifth. — That burial has little if any effect in increasing the organic matter in the 

 upper reaches of the soil, whereas it has a very marked effect on the layers containing the 

 coffins, i.e. at depths greater than 4 feet or thereby from the surface. 



Sixth. — That the organic nitrogen and carbon in graveyard soil are by no means so 

 great in amount as is commonly supposed, indicating, I consider, that if burial is pro- 

 perly conducted in suitable soil, there need be no risk to the health of comrnvm^na 



List of Micro-Organisms recognised. 



Micrococci. 



M. aurantiacus. 

 M. candicans. 

 M. candidus. 



M. citreus. 



M. flavus desidens. 



M. luteus. 



Bacilli. 



B. arborescens. 



B. aurantiacus. 



B. candicans. 



B. fluorescens liquefaciens. 



B. fluorescens non liquefaciens. 



B. gasoformans. 



B. helvolus. 



B. janthinus. 



B. megaterium. 



B. mycoides. 



B. prodigiosus. 



B. proteus vulgaris. 



B. subtilis. 



Cladothricise. 

 Cladothrix dichotoma. 



Moulds. 



Mucor muccdo. 



Penicillium glaucuin. 



