PRESENT STATUS < >K [INVESTIGATION OF BEE DISEASES, IT 



Importance, for, as everyone knows. the disinfecting power of direct sunlight [h 



much greater than diffused light, and the vitality of the spores from foul br I 



masses of different ages varies considerably. This, l may add bas been clearly 

 shown by some of my experiments, subsequently described, in mj experiments 

 the spores obtained from a purr culture on the surface of agar were spread on 

 cover glasses and placed in a glass chamber, so arranged that a currenl of air 

 was constantly circulating over them. This chamber was exposed i" the ordl 

 oary light of a room with sis large windows, ami a cover glass was takeu out 

 every twenty-four hours and tested, to sec [f the spores would grow. This 



experiment was continued for one month, and at the end of that tl the spores 



still germinated rapidly, in another experiment, spores spread on cover glasses 

 were exposed to a very diffused light, simulating, as far as possible, the amount 



of light which would outer a hive. Cover glasses were taken out from time to 



time and transferred to agar, in order to ascertain if the spores were alive or 

 Dot. The experiment was begun two years and four months ago, and from the 

 last cover glass taken and placed upon the surface of an agar plate a copious 

 and typical growth of />. alvei was obtained. Further, thin strips of filter 



paper, plunged into a bouillon culture and allowed t0 dry. were threaded on a 

 wire suspended in a wire basket and so exposed that the air could freelj circu 

 late around them in the ordinary light of n room. Trial cultures were made ;it 

 intervals, and at the expiration of six months the spores from the paper germi 

 nated when strips were placed on the surface of agar. 



Again, a drop of bouillon containing spores was placed in a sterile tube and 

 allowed to dry; and at the expiration of one hundred and twenty four hours 

 (thirty-six of which were in sunlight at a temperature varying from :'»«» to 

 37 C. ) sterile bouillon was added. Thetubeswere then placed in the incubator, 

 and in less than twenty-four hours a good growth of the germs had taken place. 



From these experiments it will be seen that the results are directly at 

 variance with Howard's statement, as they go to show that the vitality of the 

 spores of B. alvei is not destroyed by exposure to atmospheric air. with or 

 without sunlight, f<>r even a much longer time than twenty-four to thirty-six 

 hours. 



With regard to the aerobiosis of this bacillus, good growth has keen obtained 

 in an atmosphere of hydrogen by Novy's method. Buchner's method also gave 

 good results. The growths in the various media are very similar to those pro 

 duced tinder aerobic conditions, but with this difference, that the surface 

 growths are, as a rule, whiter in the hydrogen atmosphere, in illuminating gas 

 (water gas) no growth occurred, hut the spores were uo1 destroyed bj the 



action of the gas; for when the gas was let out of the Nbvy jar, L r I growth 



ensued on all cultures. In acetylene gas, a restricted growth oeeiirred. In 

 fermentation tubes growth occurred both in the open and in the closed arm 

 Of the tubes. No gas was formed, the houilloii in the closed arm was uniformly 

 turbid. Thus /»'. alvei is a facultative anaerobe. 



Production of alkali.- in ordinary bouillon a slight amount of ammonia is 

 formed. Control bouillon did not give the Nessler test, in glycerine and the 

 Bugar. bouillons, there is no trace of ammonia. Cheyne's cultures arc faintly 

 alkaline, both before and after inoculation in meat infusion. Klamann states 

 that ammonia is produced. 



Acids formed. A varying amounl of acid is formed. All the sugar bouillons 

 give an acid react ion. 



Formation of pigment. On potatoes a yellowish growth is produced; on all 

 other media, the surface growth is white. 



Development of odors. — Cheyne states thai gelatine cultures give "if an 



