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Proceedings of Boyal Society of Edinburgh. [sess. 
Bacillus coli communis. — The leucocytes seemed indifferent to- 
the presence of these organisms. There was no sign of chemio- 
taxis, hut phagocytosis seemed to occur just as the bacilli were 
met with, and no cell was seen containing more than two or three. 
Beyond an occasional vacuole, no necrobiotic changes occurred. 
As regards their leucolytic power, we would place the organisms 
examined in the following order : B. diplitherice and Spirillum 
cholerce ; Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus mycoides ; pneumococcus , 
staphylococcus , and streptococcus ; Bacillus typhosus \; dead staphylo- 
cocci ; and lastly, Bacillus coli communis. 
We now turned our attention to ordinary blood films in health 
and in a variety of diseased conditions. We found that although 
they may he scanty, leucocytes showing necrobiotic changes may 
always he found in the blood. It is difficult to estimate their 
numbers even approximately, hut we may say that at least one 
moribund cell may generally be found in every two or three films 
of normal blood, while in certain conditions the whole process of 
leucolysis may he traced in a single film. To avoid fallacy in 
estimating the amount of leucolysis in a given specimen, it is 
necessary to note the degree of necrobiotic change as well as the 
number of cells affected. Unless this is noted, the picture of a 
large number of cells showing early stages is apt to give the 
impression of great leucolysis, while a slide showing only a few 
necrobiotic cells might indicate that leucolysis was slight, whereas- 
the true inference would be just the reverse. Where the changes 
are advanced, we may assume that a number of leucocytes have- 
altogether disappeared. We have examined the blood in a great 
variety of conditions, and find degenerated leucocytes constantly 
present. 
General conditions of Disease. — Cells showing necrobiotic 
changes are generally rather more numerous than in health, and 
seem to vary in proportion to the general nutrition of the patient, 
though only within very narrow limits. 
Blood Diseases. — A considerable number of white cells showing 
necrobiotic change can always be found. The proportion usually 
varies with the gravity of the anaemia. In pernicious anaemia the 
changes are marked. 
Toxcemic conditions. — In these conditions w r e found not only the 
