ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
441 
tliat both are due to a parasite belonging to the Sporozoa. The parasite 
develops within the cytoplasm, close to the nucleus, and by its slow 
increase gradually supplants the cell-contents, assuming the character- 
istic shape and appearance known as molluscum grains. Thus the 
grains are the parasites. 
The author’s experiments to show that the acne of birds can be 
inoculated And transmitted were quite successful, and not only were 
healthy individuals directly infected, but also indirectly, e. g. by co- 
habitation of healthy and contaminated individuals. The author fixed 
his material with acetic acid sublimate, apd stained the sections with 
Boehmer’s haematoxylin, borax-carmine, by Gram’s method, and with 
methylen-blue. 
Observations on Variola and Syphilis.* — M, J. J. Clarke has 
studied the Sporozoa of variola from inoculations on the cornea of 
guinea-pigs and rabbits. Staining the sections with picrocarmine or 
haematoxylin and eosin. The smallest parasites, which are intracellular, 
exhibit peripheral processes which recall the Suctoria; these lie in 
depressions of the nucleus, though really in the cytoplasm. As they 
increase in size they possess a well-defined outline, inside which may be 
seen a peripheral layer of granules. The largest forms are of two 
varieties, one similar to the last described, but containing a nucleus 
which may be fragmented or dividing, and free elongated bodies with 
expanded ends. The parasite, whether free or intracellular, may con- 
tain spores, and, owing to its strongly refracting properties, can be 
detected in unstained sections. In variola very similar appearances are 
found, and the parasites of vaccinia and variola are asserted by the 
author to be homologous with those of cancer and sarcoma. 
The author also describes certain appearances which he has observed 
in syphilitic sores, and which have a striking resemblance to Sporozoa, 
and he confirmed these observations by inoculating the cornea of a 
guinea-pig with syphilitic virus. Bodies stainable with eosin were found 
both in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus, but spore-formation and the 
presence of a nucleus in these intracellular parasites were not detected. 
The material was fixed with Foa’s solution. 
Haematozoa of Ophidia.j — Dr. A. Billet has, in Tonquin, found 
hsematozoa in Python reticulatus , Bungarus fasciatus, and Tropidonotus 
stolatus. In P. reticulatus the parasite, which is longer than a red cor- 
puscle, lies coiled up within the disk ; one extremity is rounded and the 
other tapering. There is a -central nucleus and chromatin granules. 
The author designates it Danilewshja pythonis. In B. fasciatus the 
commonest endoglobular form of the parasite is a falciform body, 
usually closely embracing the nucleus, and in general appearance it 
resembles the crescents found in human malaria. Its length is about 
half that of the blood disk. It is called by the author Laverania 
bungari. The parasite of Tropidonotus is not described, though its 
existence is affirmed. 
* Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., l te Abt., xvii. (1895) pp. 300-3 (1 pi.). 
t Ann. de Microgr., vii. (1895) pp. 171-3. 
