646 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
the astropyle, and contains plasmic bodies or phaeodellse. He thinks that 
of the various hypotheses as to their import, that is most likely which 
credits the phaeodellre with some part in assimilation. Before nuclear 
division the framework becomes finer, and a closely-wound coil is formed ; 
the chromatin thread then divides longitudinally, and the resulting 
threads are seen to consist of a double row of very minute spherules ; 
the subsequent stages on to the reconstruction of the new nuclei are very 
rapid, and have not been followed continuously. The division of the 
central capsule was frequently observed, and as many as four central 
capsules were sometimes seen. 
Protozoa as Causes of Disease.* — Prof. G. Hauser gives a brief 
history of what is known in regard to Protozoa which cause disease. 
The discovery of the malarial plasmodia was the first decisive case in 
which Protozoa were proved to cause an infectious disease. The psoro- 
sperms of pebrine and the widespread Ooccidia are other well-known 
cases. Hauser urges objections against the interpretation of tumours a& 
infectious diseases, and distinguishes such cases as intracanalicular 
papilloma of the liver (due to Coccidia), or galls in plants (due to 
insects), from tumours proper which are due to the proliferation of 
somatic cells, freed from ordinary growth-conditions, and become 
J£ parasitic.” 
Protozoa in a Liver Abscess.f — Dr. Berndt found in the pus of an 
hepatic abscess, following on “ typhus,” white and red blood-corpuscles, 
fat drops, crystals of fatty acids, and bacteria. Besides these there were 
two kinds of peculiar pale bodies from about 7-12 times the diameter of 
a red corpuscle, which the author took to be Amoebae and Flagellata. 
The abscess was probably due to the bacteria, and the presence of the 
Protozoa only accidental. 
Amoebae in Dysentery. | — Sig. M. Vivaldi found in the evacuations 
of twenty cases of dysentery numerous bodies having characteristics 
ascribed to dysenteric Amoebae. Attempts at cultivation were made in 
hay decoction, which was slightly alkalinised, filtered, and distributed in 
Petri’s capsules. Having been inoculated with flakes of mucus, the 
capsules were incubated at 37°. Growth-appearances were observed on 
the second or third day, and these were found to consist principally of 
Amoebae in various stages of development. The sizes of the cystic forms 
varied between 7 and 11 /x, that of the amoeboid from 11—25 fx. Cultiva- 
tions to the third and fourth remove were made in order to obtain 
material as free from bacteria as possible, for the purpose of experiment- 
ing on animals. In rabbits an injection of 10-20 ccm. into the rectum 
caused only a transient rise of temperature ; in cats, diarrhoea, emacia- 
tion, redness of anus and discharge of mucus. Some animals died in 
10-15 days in a marasmic condition, and on examination there was found 
diffuse catarrh of the large intestine, but no abscesses. It would appear, 
therefore, that Amoebae do play some part in dysentery, but not an 
* Biol. Centralbl., xv. (1895) pp. 676-86, 700-10. 
t Deutsche Zeitschr. f. Chirurgie, xl. Nos. 1 and 2. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. 
u. Parasitenk., l te Abt., xviii. (1895) p. 212. 
X La Bifornia Med., 1894, No. 238. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., 
l te Abt., xviii. (1895) p. 17. 
