ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
221 
New Pathogenic Anaerobic Bacillus.'"— Dr. R. Kerry describes a 
microbe which he obtained from the dried flesh of an ox stated to have 
died of symptomatic anthrax, and which was lethal to guinea-pigs, rats, 
and rabbits in 7-48 hours with symptoms of Rauschbrand. Microscopical 
examination showed that the bacilli were from 4—6 /x long, pretty thick, 
and occurring singly, in pairs, or in short threads. Spores which are 
characteristic of the involution forms of symptomatic anthrax were 
absent. Young agar cultivations showed long thick flagella, which on 
further cultivation lost in length and thickness. The bacillus grew best 
at incubation temperature, and never developed below 26°. From the 
bacillus of symptomatic anthrax it is distinguished by being pathogenic 
to rabbits and mice, and from that of malignant oedema by not growing 
below 26°. Its shape also differs, for it never grows into long filaments, 
or developes spores. When cultivated on bouillon and milk there are 
decided differences. Bouillon remains quite clear, and though milk is 
coagulated, it is in large, not in small lumps. The virulence of this 
microbe diminishes with continued cultivation, but can be protracted by 
the addition of lactic acid and sugar. 
Avian Diphtheria of Tunis.f — Dr. A. Loir and M. E. Ducloux 
describe a disease sometimes called diphtheria, sometimes fowl-cholera, 
and sometimes variola, which prevents the rearing of fowls on a large 
scale in Tunis. It is caused by a bacillus quite different from that of 
the human diphtheria. It is easily cultivable in all the usual media, 
and kills turkeys, fowls, pigeons, ducks, sparrows, rabbits, and other 
animals. Guinea-pigs and cattle are unaffected by it. Fowls which 
have passed through one attack after inoculation are subsequently 
immune. If the bacillus be heated up to 55°, its virulence is so far 
diminished that it then acts as a true vaccine. The authors record a 
case in which this organism caused a false membrane on the fauces 
accompanied by the symptoms of true diphtheria. 
Biological Variations of Pneumobacillus liquefaciens bo vis. t — 
M. S. Arloing finds that Pneumobacillus liquefaciens bovis exhibits two 
well-marked variations, the one liquefying, the other non-liquefying. 
It would seem that there is a tendency for this organism to lose its 
liquefactive power with lapse of time, though change of medium may 
occasionally restore the property. In the liquefying colonies most of the 
individuals are elongated and distinctly bacillary, and are surrounded 
by numerous long flagella. In the non-liquefying they are for the most 
part short, stumpy, and with rounded ends. There is less resemblance 
to bacilli than to cocci. This form is also well supplied with flagella. 
When injected subcutaneously it was found that both forms produced an 
effect which differed only in intensity. Inoculations directly into the 
lung gave the same result. 
Abel’s Manual of Bacteriology. § — The- third edition of Dr. R. Abel’s 
‘ Manual of Bacteriology,’ chiefly intended for students and practitioners, 
* Oesterr. Zeitschr. f. wiss. Veterinarkunde, v. (1891) 2/3. See Centralbl. f. Bak- 
teriol. u. Parasitenk., xvi. (1894) pp. 372-3. 
f Ann. Inst Pasteur, viii. (1894) pp. 599-607. 
i Comptes Rendus, cxix. (1894) pp. 208-10. 
§ Wurzburg, 1894, 8vo, 56 pp. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., xvii. 
(1895) pp. 39-40. 
