ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
425 
easily suspended in water, and sediments with difficulty ; the bacterial 
deposit being homogeneous, of a pale yellow colour, and of a fleecy- 
mucoid character. Microscopically the mud is seen to consist of bac- 
terial cells, from 0 • 5-1 //, in diameter, straight or curved, of variable 
length, and of variable aggregation. The bacteria appear to have much 
in common with Leptothrix ochracea . The action of micro-chemical 
reagents (HC1 and ferrocyanide of potassium) seems to indicate that 
the iron oxide is deposited not merely on the bacterial cells, but in 
their substance, and consequently that the muddy deposit is of purely 
bacterial origin. 
Ginger-beer Plant.* * * § — From fresh observations, Prof. H. Marshall 
Ward has now como to the conclusion that there are several distinct 
varieties of kephir and of other ginger-beer plants. In all cases the 
schizomycete Bacterium vermiforme appears to be concerned, but asso- 
ciated with different yeasts. An organism closely resembling kephir 
w r as found to be an aerobic bacterium capable of fermenting sugar to 
carbonic acid and some other organic acid. Very little yeast was pre- 
sent, and that apparently did not increase. 
Bacterial Disease of Cotton.j — Mr. J. M. Stedman ascribes a disease 
which attacks the capsules of the cotton-plant to an undescribed microbe 
which he names Bacillus gossypinus sp. n. It consists of short straight 
rods abruptly rounded at the ends, 1*5 by 0*75/*, usually solitary, 
sometimes in pairs, less often in chains of 3 or 4. The bacillus is 
motile, aerobic, forms spores, and does not liquefy gelatin. The dis- 
ease does not make itself evident by external brown patches, as is the 
case with the anthracnosc produced by Colletotrichum Gossypii. 
Influence of the Rontgen Rays on Bacteria. if — Prof. G. Sormani 
experimented with sixteen species of bacteria, most of which were patho- 
genic, for the purpose of ascertaining the effect of the X-rays. Broth 
cultures were exposed to the influence of the rays at a distance of 2-5 
centimetres for periods varying from one to nine hours. After the pro- 
cedure, the cultures were transplanted into new media, whereon they 
developed with quite normal characters. The pathogenic action of the 
exposed cultures was also found to be undiminished. The author con- 
cluded that the X-rays have no sensible effect on the cultural and patho- 
genic characters of the bacteria employed. 
Resorption of Bacteria after Local Infection.§ — Dr. J. Halban 
made experiments for the purpose of ascertaining how long bacteria 
take to reach the nearest lymphatic glands, and the circulating blood 
from the inoculation site, and also for ascertaining what histological 
changes arise in the lymphatic glands after the resorption of the 
bacteria. A general answer is returned to the first question. The time 
taken by the different species of bacteria to reach the nearest lymphatic 
glands varies with the bactericidal power of the alexins, being slower 
when the power is strong and quicker when it is weak. The time 
* Ann. Bot., xi. (1897) pp. 341-4. Cf. this Journal, 1892, p. 524. 
t Agric. Exp. Stat., Auburn, Alabama, Bull. No. 55, 12 pp. and 1 pi. See Bot. 
Centralbl., lxx. (1897) p. 35. 
X Rendiconti Reale 1st. Lombardo, xxix. (1896) pp. 517-20. 
§ S.B. K. Akad. Wiss. Wien, cv. (1896) pp. 349-452 (2 pis.). 
