474 



Mr. J. C. Ewart on the Life-History of [June 20, 



Experiment XIX. 



April 4th, 1878. Guinea-pig weighing 1^ lb. Injected 4 centi- 

 grammes of cobra poison into leg. 



4.1 p.m. Ligature applied immediately. Permanganate of potash 

 applied immediately. 



4.5 P.M. Twitching. 



4.10 „ Dying. 



4.13 ,, Convulsion. 



4.14 „ Dead. 



Experiment XX. 

 April 4th, 1878. Guinea-pig weighing 1 lb. 



3.45' 20" p.m. Injected f gr. = 4 centigrammes of cobra poison under 

 skin of leg. A ligature was applied round the leg in one minute, and 

 in five minutes permanganate of potash was rubbed into an incision 

 made over the site of injection. 



3.52 p.m. Ligature cut. 



3.53 „ Twitching violently ; leg paralysed. 

 3.55 „ 



3.57 „ Dying. 



3.58 ,, Dead — less than 13' minutes. 



VIII. " The Life-History of Bacterium termo and Micrococcus, 

 with further Observations on Bacillus." By J. COSSAR 

 Ewart, M.D. Edin., University College, London. Com- 

 municated by Professor Huxley, Sec. R.S. Beceived June 

 20, 1878. 



[Plate 10.] 



While recently studying the phases through which the now familiar 

 organism Bacillus anthracis passes, my attention was often directed to 

 two still more familiar organisms, Bacterium termo and Micrococcus. 

 Frequently from cultivations of Bacillus both rods, spores, and fila- 

 ments disappeared, and in their place millions of Micrococci and the 

 short-jointed rods of B. termo were found.* In the short rods of 

 B. termo, which in the struggle for existence overcame the less active 

 Bacilli, minute bright particles were often present. These exactly re- 

 sembled the Micrococci in the field around and between them, and were 

 evidently the remains of spores out of which the rods had just been 

 developed. The presence of Micro coccus-like spores in the short rods 



* This disappearance of the one and appearance of the others accounts for early 

 investigators believing that there was a continuity of development between Bacilli 

 and septic organisms. 



