356 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
animals they do not develop provided that the spores be pure, and this 
failure to develop is due to the action of phagocytes, by which they are 
rapidly destroyed. But if the spores be protected against the action of 
the phagocytes, then they germinate and produce specific septicaemia. 
The methods by which the spores were protected were ingenious. First, 
by the use of negatively chimiotactic substances, such as lactic acid or a 
minute quantity of the septic toxin itself. Secondly, by imbedding 
spores in little lumps of peptonised gelose, or by mixing spores with a 
certain quantity of fine sand. The phagocytosis was demonstrated 
microscopically by staining some fluid, withdrawn with a pipette, with 
phenolfuchsin, thoroughly decolorising with dilute nitric acid, and then 
contrast staining with aqueous methylen-blue. 
The author then proceeds to consider the conditions of the natural 
infection. Natural infection is favoured by the simultaneous presence 
of other microbes, among which are Micrococcus prodigiosus, Staphylo- 
coccus pyogenes aureus , and several other bacteria, which are described in 
general terms. This, of course, is a valuable contribution to our know- 
ledge of mixed infection. But traumatism also plays a part in natural 
infection, and the author shows that deep and extensive wounds favour 
the development of spores of B. maligni cedematis. Necrosis of tissues — 
e. g. such as are produced by the actual cautery — violent bruising with 
much extravasation of blood, or compound fractures, may all three facili- 
tate the development of the spores, and thus give rise to the septicaemia 
of the vibrion septique. 
Relative Tendency of different Fabrics to be contaminated by 
Microbes.* — The different degrees to which our clothing is infected by 
microbes depends, under ordinary circumstances, on the physical pro- 
perties of the material. The experiments made by Herr A. D. Nikolski 
with articles of clothing composed of wool, linen, cotton, and silk show 
that the conditions which favour the presence of bacteria on clothing are 
as follows : — The porosity, the roughness of surface, excess of wool, and 
of long and irregularly woven threads. If to these conditions a certain 
thickness of material is added, not only is the mere presence of the 
microbes to be feared, but their permanent settlement within the material. 
Besides this, thick, hairy, loosely woven materials attract moisture, 
retain it, and only dry very slowly. Microbes are retained much longer 
in wool than in cotton. Linen and silken fabrics are much less liable 
to contamination. For persons who come much in contact with the 
sick the best clothing is linen. 
Heim’s Text-book of Bacteriology.! — Mrs. G. C. Frankland has a 
notice of this work, which she does not think adapted to the use of the 
student. There appears to be too great love of minute detail. The 
work is divided into three parts : — (1) Bacteriological manipulations ; 
the preparation of culture media, and experiments on animals ; (2) the 
morphological and other characteristics of bacteria ; and (3) diagnosis 
of bacteria in disease, as well as their demonstration in our surroundings. 
* These, St. Petersburg, 1894. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk. 
(l e Abt.), xvii. (1895) pp. 367-8. 
t ‘ Lehrb. der Bakteriol. Unters. u. Diagnostik,’ Stuttgart, 1894, 8vo, 528 pp. 
See Nature, li, (1895) pp. 481-2. 
