ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
673 
point is independent of tlie development of the species. It is only 
manifested when the general conditions of the nutritive medium (tem- 
perature, amount of carbon, nitrogen, &c.) are favourable. Fluorescence 
does not appear to be the exclusive appanage of one function or of one 
chemical element ; very different molecular groupings enjoy the power 
of manifesting it. This function is independent of the existence and of 
the relative quantity of phosphates, though a certain quantity is necessary 
for the life of the species. The author lays special stress on the fact 
that the addition of these salts does not of itself bring about the 
development of fluorescence in a medium which previously did not 
produce it. 
Association of Aerobic and Anaerobic Microbes.* — M. Monod 
describes a case of puerperal fever in which part of the liver was found 
to be gangrenous. Three species of bacteria were isolated therefrom, a 
Streptococcus , Bacterium coli commune , and Vibrio septicus. The author 
favours the view that V. septicus must have come from the intestine, and 
considers it not improbable that B. coli had the same origin. With 
regard to Sir. puerperalis he leaves it open whether the anaerobe found its 
way through the fallopian tubes or from without. Hence there appears 
a great probability that this was a case of auto-infection from the 
intestinal canal rather than of traumatic infection. 
Air of Schoolrooms. j" — Herren Euete and Enoch have made quanti- 
tative examinations of schoolroom air for the purpose of ascertaining the 
average number of germs, and whether any of these be pathogenic. A 
modification of Hueppe’s method was adopted ; measured quantities of 
air were passed through gelatin ; the windows were closed an hour 
before the examination began. The maximum number of germs 
amounted to over 3,000,000 per cbm., the minimum to 1500 per cbm., 
the average being about 268,000 per cbm. of air. The examinations 
were made from September to March, and the individual results were 
extremely variable. Eighteen different species of bacteria are described, 
but only one of these was found to be pathogenic to mice, rabbits, and 
guinea-pigs, and the post-mortem inspection was negative. 
Asteriform Intestinal Microbe.* — Dr. C. de Kiecki has isolated from 
the small intestine of the guinea-pig a species of bacterium, the colonies 
of which present on gelatin plates an unusual shape. It is a sapro- 
phytic bacillus with rounded ends. In young cultures it is 2 p, long and 
0*75 /x broad, but longer in older ones. It is mobile, forms little 
heaps, rarely short chains, does not liquefy gelatin, and is stainable by 
Gram’s method. Stroke cultures on gelose at 33° are of a yellowish- 
grey colour in 24 hours. From each side of the track extend fine 
branching prolongations, thus giving the colonies an asteriform appear- 
ance, somewhat like starfishes. 
Biology and Morphology of the Tubercle Bacillus.§ — Herr W. 
Lubinski has obtained some interesting results from cultivating the 
* La Semaine Med., 1895, p. 224. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., 
l te Abt., xviii. (1895) pp. 207-8. 
t Miinch. Med. Wochenschr., 1895, Nos. 21 and 22. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. 
u. Parasitenk., l te Abt., xviii. (1895) p. 128. 
t Ann. Inst. Pasteur, ix. (1895) pp. 735-6 (6 figs.). 
§ Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., l te Abt., xviii. (1895) pp. 125-8 
1895 2 y 
