ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
421 
nornena, and with the drawing of erroneous conclusions from insufficient 
experience. 
Origin of Saccharomyces.* — Under the title What do we know 
about the origin of Saccharomyces ? MM. A. Klocker and H. Schionning 
again discuss the hotly debated question of whether there is a genetic 
connection between the Saccharomycetes and the Hyphomycetes, or 
whether typical Saccharomycetes are to be regarded as independent 
fungi. They made numerous experiments with Aspergillus Oryzse, A. 
glaums, A. repens, with Dematium, Gladosporium , with four species of 
Penicillium, &c., but in no case obtained Saccharomyces-cel\& . Similar 
results 1 were obtained from observation made on mould fungi growing 
under natural conditions. The main conclusion arrived at is that the 
Saccharomycetes are not a developmental phase of some other fungus, 
but that, like Exoasceae, they are independent organisms. 
Pathogenic Blastomycete found in Carcinoma.^ — Dr. D. B. Roncali 
publishes the results of a histological and bacteriological examination of 
an adenocarcinoma of the colon, with secondary deposits in the peri- 
toneum. In the juice of the deposits were observed round and oval 
highly refracting bodies, branched hyphae, and hyaline cells with double 
contour. Stained preparations of the juice gave evidence of Blasto- 
mycetes, and microscopical examination of a piece of tissue incubated 
for 56 hours showed that the Blastomycetes had increased in number. 
By treating masses of the highly refracting bodies with saturated solu- 
tions of caustic soda or potash, no effect was produced ; while in 4 per 
cent, hydrochloric or nitric acid they were dissolved without effervescence, 
and with 40 per cent, sulphuric acid needle-like crystals resembling 
those of gypsum were deposited. 
Histological examination of the cancerous tissue revealed the para- 
sites in astonishing numbers. By incubating some of the juice in a dilute 
acid solution of sugar, a Blastomycete was isolated in 47 out of 60 tubes. 
The parasite, which caused death in guinea-pigs in from 15-30 days, was 
recognised by the author as Blastomyces vitrosimile degenerans. 
Herring-Brine Yeast.J — The brine used for pickling herrings is, 
says Dr. C. Wehmer, unusually rich in living germs, the predomi- 
nating organism in that used at Emden being a Blastomycete termed 
by the author salt-yeast. The organism was easily isolated and culti- 
vated in gelatin containing 10 per cent, of salt, a quantity sufficient to 
prevent the growth of all fungi except Penicillium glaucum. 
Morphologically the cells are spherical, oval, or elongated, invested 
in a delicate colourless membrane enclosing homogeneous or granular 
contents, wherein, according to age or other circumstances, may be ob- 
served a vacuole. The yeast was easily cultivated on solid or in liquid 
media without or with salt (3-15 per cent.). About eight millions of 
cells appear to be' contained in each cubic millimetre of brine. Esti- 
mated by means of nitrate of silver, the Emden brine was found to 
contain 23-24 per cent, of salt. To a great extent cultural experiments 
confirmed the expectation that salt would, at least up to a certain per- 
* Ann. de Micrographie, ix. (1897) pp. 233-50. Cf. this Journal, 1896, p. 339. 
t Centralbl. Bakt. u. Par., l te Abt., xxi. (1897) pp. 517-23. 
X Op. cit., 2 te Abt., 1897, pp. 209-22 (1 pi.). 
