228 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
with carbonic acid gas, it does not destroy the microbes which cause 
coagulation, though it hinders their development. 
Chemistry and Bacteriology of Fermentation Industries.*- — The 
Cantor Lectures on this subject delivered to the Society of Arts by Prof. 
P. F. Frankland, contain a quantity of information of use and interest to 
the microscopist, though much, of course, is not new. We must be 
content to call attention to them. 
Toxic Substances produced by Anthrax. | — M. L. Landi isolated 
from anthrax cultivations and from the blood of animals dead of anthrax 
proteid bodies, of which those obtained from anthrax blood were to be 
located — according to their properties and reactions — in a group lying 
between albuminoids and alkaloids. These substances crystallize and 
form chloroplatinates. They possess neither toxic properties nor any 
vaccinating powers. They appear in apparently smaller quantity even 
in normal rabbit blood. One of three different bases isolated from 
anthrax blood produced spasms and coma in mice and killed them 
quickly. The base appears to belong to the pyridin or chinolin bases, 
and is not present in the blood of healthy rabbits. 
Chemical Products of the Life-processes of Bacillus anthracis.f — 
Dr. S. Martin cultivated anthrax bacilli for three weeks in an alkaline 
serum solution. The cultivations were then passed through a Chamber- 
land’s filter and concentrated by evaporation at 37°-40°. By repeatedly 
treating the filtrate with alcohol, a mixture of proto- and deutero- 
albumoses was obtained. These albumoses were strongly alkaline, and 
retained their alkalinity after being dialysed for a week, and after pre- 
cipitation with sodium chloride and ammonium sulphate. 
By means of alcohol acidulated with HC1 or H 2 S0 4 a yellow amor- 
phous body physiologically very different from the albumoses was 
obtained. If the alkaline albumoses were treated with strong hydro- 
chloric acid and then dialysed for a week, they were converted into acid 
albumoses. Besides these, there was isolated from the cultivation fluid 
an alkaloidal body, soluble in alcohol, and resembling in its reactions 
the vegetable alkaloids. 
When injected under the skin of mice, the albumoses, whether acid 
or alkaline, produced a local oedema, the violence of which corresponded 
to the amount injected. Certain disease-phenomena ensued on the injec- 
tions, but death only occurred if large quantities were employed. The 
spleen was often swollen. The toxicity of the albumoses is relatively 
small, for pretty large doses were required to produce local or general 
symptoms. When exposed to boiling heat the albumoses lose their fatal 
properties. The cumulative action of the albumoses is very marked, 
e. g. two non-lethal doses act more quickly and powerfully than one 
fatal dose, i. e. one equal in amount to the two former put together and 
administered at once. The alkaloidal body also causes a local swelling 
of the spleen and severe symptoms. It acts much more rapidly and in 
* Journal Soc. of Arts, xl. (1892) pp. 911-7, 921-7, 933-41, 947-56 (30 figs.). 
t Le Bulletin Med., 1891, p. 919. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol, u. Parasitenk., 
xii. (1892) p. 305. 
t Rep. Local Govt. Board, App. B, 1889-90, pp. 235-50. See Centralbl. f. 
Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., xii. (1892) pp. 391-2. 
