762 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
spore-formation in anthrax, owing possibly to the latter having obtained 
his information second-hand. It is, however, generally supposed that 
spore-formation in anthrax is in some way associated with the exhaus- 
tion of the nutritive medium, and this explanation has usually been 
fathered on Buchner. The latter now explains that he never meant to 
say that spore-formation was the result of defective nutrition, but the 
consequence of some defect or deficiency occurring in the medium. The 
author then refers to the experiments made by him to show that he 
knew the facts cited by Lehmann. It is, however, certain that Lehmann’s 
position is that spore-formation in anthrax occurs in media rich in 
nutrient material, and not in that which is exhausted. The position is 
entirely different from that taken by the author, and, from other points 
of view, may be regarded as probably being the more correct of the two. 
Morphology of Streptococci.* — In the report of the Local Govern- 
ment Board, 1888, Dr. E. Klein discusses the characters of nine species 
of Streptococcus cultivated in seven different ways, as well as the results 
obtained from inoculating these same organisms. These micro-organisms 
were cultivated in tubes and plates of agar and gelatin in peptonized 
bouillon, all of which media were slightly alkaline. The following 
points were specially noted : — the appearance of the cultivation a few 
days after inoculation ; the greater or less rapidity of growth of the 
colonies ; the shape of the colonies ; their modifications of shape during 
development ; their different appearances in different media ; their mor- 
phology. By aid of the foregoing characters most of these Streptococci 
could be distinguished from one another. The author concludes that 
scarlet fever, puerperal septicaemia, and foot and mouth disease, are due 
to the action of a specific Streptococcus. He alludes to the question of 
what constitutes a species or variety in a pathogenic microbe, and of the 
possibility of a modification of physiological or pathogenic species. 
Now, the variations in the action of some of these Streptococci on milk 
goes to support the doctrine of Nageli, according to which the different 
forms of Schizomycetes are but phases or variations of one or at most 
two or three different species. But some, while morphologically and 
culturably identical, or at least indistinguishable, show diverse and 
constant pathogenic functions. 
Bacteria of Influenza.f — Prof. V. Babes has now concluded the 
investigation of thirty-one cases of influenza. 
The chief motive for these researches seems to have been a desire to 
show that there exists a series of bacteria, which in their growth or in 
their shape approximate to, or are identical with Pasteur’s sputum 
bacteria on the one hand, and on the other to Streptococcus pyogenes. 
But a careful examination of the numerous varieties found was sur- 
rounded by great difficulties, owing chiefly to their extreme poly- 
morphism, and their tendency to involution and degeneration ; and the 
author seems inclined to think that it is not sufficient to confine the 
examination to one or two species, such as have been described by 
various writers during the progress of the epidemic, but that the exami- 
* Annales de Micrographie, iii. (1889) pp. 49-52. 
t Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parnsitenk., vii. (1890) pp. 4G0-4, 496-502, 533-8, 
561-8, 598-606. See ante, p. 373. 
