130 



Messrs. S. G. Shattock and L. S. Dudgeon. [Feb. 20, 



the 4th day, and on the 6th. The staphylococcus grew abundantly in both 

 cases within 24 hours. The control air-dried slips prepared at the same time 

 grew equally rapidly after the same periods ; further controls proved to be 

 alive on the 16th and 23rd days, but when again tested on the 40th day the 

 microbe was dead. 



By means of a second series of observations the survival of the staphylo- 

 coccus in vacuo on the 4th and 6th days was confirmed, the control slips 

 in this case being likewise alive on the same days. 



As it was thus clear that the staphylococcus would survive drying five 

 days in vacuo, and also in the air, we proceeded to test its vitality for longer 

 periods. Vacuum tubes were sealed off after five days' treatment with the 

 charcoal and liquid air, and stored in the dark. The micro-organism from 

 the tubes proved to be alive on the 33rd day, and so was the control. 

 Further control slips were tested at different periods, and proved to be 

 alive at nine weeks, four days ; death had occurred at twelve weeks, four days, 

 the microbe having died at some date in the interval. 



As the control was now dead, a vacuum tube was tested 21 days later; 

 the film proved to be sterile. In this experiment the air-dried slips died at 

 some date between 9 and ] 2 weeks ; those from the vacuum tubes died 

 between 4 and 15 weeks. 



(Two further vacuum tubes were tested at periods of 10 and 14 months ; 

 the slips from both were sterile.) 



Bacillus pyocyaneus. 



The results obtained with this bacillus are particularly interesting. 



Films of the micro-organism, prepared as usual from a 24 hours' peptone 

 water culture, proved to be alive on the 4th and 6th day when removed from 

 vacuum tubes treated for these periods with charcoal and liquid air. Control 

 air-dried slips were likewise alive at the same dates. The vitality was next 

 tested for longer periods. 



December 9, 1910. — A series of glass slips were inoculated. One slip was 

 transferred to each of three tubes, which were thereupon exhausted, and 

 sealed off after five days' treatment with charcoal and liquid air. 



A control slip proved to be alive on the 6th day. One vacuum tube was 

 opened on the 46th day — the bacillus proved to be alive ; a control film was 

 at this date dead. 



A second vacuum tube was opened on the 116th day; the bacillus was 

 still alive. The third of the tubes was opened on June 30 (seven months 

 and seven days) ; within 48 hours an abundant growth of the bacillus (as 

 confirmed by sub-culture) had occurred. 



