444 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
Dr. F. R. Hayner * has successfully cultivated Gonococcus from the 
fluids in joints and tendon-sheaths in the following media: — 
(1) Albuminous urine agar. Acid urine containing .0*05 albumen 
or more is allowed to stand for 24 hours, and then boiled. The pre- 
cipitate is then removed by filtration. The filtrate is again boiled, 
and agar, pepton, beef extract, and sodium chloride added in the pro- 
portions used for making ordinary agar. The reaction should be 
neutral or very slightly acid. The advantages of using albuminous 
urine are, firstly, that such urine contains albumens that are not coagu- 
lated by heat; and, secondly, the albumen that is coagulated acts as 
a clarifying agent in the removal of the salts that usually cause the 
cloudiness of the urine-agar. 
(2) An ordinary agar-tube was melted and cooled to 46° C., and 
then about 5 ccm. of human blood-serum added, making the proportion 
one- third blood-serum and two- thirds agar. The resulting medium, 
which was perfectly clear, was then inoculated with three loopfuls of 
fluid from a joint. The inoculated medium was poured into a Petri’s 
capsule and incubated at 37°. Colonies were observed after 48 hours. 
(3) Pig-foetus agar. This medium is prepared from fresh pig- 
foetuses not exceeding 5 cm. in length, and free from placenta and 
membranes. The foetuses are minced in a sausage machine, and then 
placed in an equal volume of distilled water, the mixture being allowed 
to macerate in a cool -place for from 6-12 hours. The fluid is then 
passed through a Chamberland filter under a presssure of 150-200 lbs. 
Two per cent, sterilised agar is then melted and cooled down to 40°, 
and to it one- third of its volume of foetus infusion is added. The tubes 
are then slanted. 
Protozoa Culture.! —Dr. F. Schardinger now uses a medium prepared 
in the following way : — To a suspension of about 30 grm. of hay in 
1 litre of water, 1-1 • 5 grm. of powdered calcium hydrate are added, and, 
after having been well shaken, the mixture is incubated for 24-36 hours. 
The fluid is then filtered, and, the chalk having been precipitated with 
phosphoric acid, an equal quantity of meat infusion (made without 
pepton or salt) is added. The mixture is then alkalised with soda, and 
1-1*5 per cent, of agar added. In this medium quite pure bacteria-free 
cultures of a Mycetozoon (Protomonas Spirogyrse Borzi) were obtained ; 
and, if gelatin be substituted for agar, the above described fluid serves 
well for the preparation of a cultivation medium suitable for bacteria 
cultures. 
(2) Preparing- Objects. 
Method for rapidly Examining for Bacteria in cover-glass pre- 
parations.:}: — Dr. D. Kischensky recommends the following method for 
examining for micro-organisms in pure cultures, and also in pus, blood, 
urinary sediment and faeces. A drop of phenol-fuchsin solution (10 drops 
to 10 ccm. of water) is placed on a cover-glass or slide and mixed with a 
minute quantity of the culture. The cover-glass is then gently warmed 
and the mixed drop spread all over so as to make a film which will dry 
* Bull. Johns Hopkins Hosp., viii. (1897) pp. 121-4. 
t Centralbl. Bald,, u. Par., l‘ e Abt., xxii. (1897) pp. 3-5 (2 pis.). 
X Tom. cit , xxi. (1897) pp. 876-7. 
