ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
375 
and kidneys, and in sixteen cases B. coli commune was found in the 
liver, twelve times in the kidneys, and six times in the spleen. The 
authors specially remark on the polymorphism of the bacterium, and 
describe two principal varieties which can only be distinguished by the 
shape of the colonies on gelatin plates. One of these bears considerable 
resemblance to the appearance of typhoid colonies ; and as the latter 
betrays notable variations when cultivated on plates, the authors think 
that it is not possible to differentiate B. typhosus from Bad. col. com- 
mune cultivations. Nor did experiments made on animals aid in esta- 
blishing any diagnostic criterion. 
Invasion of Subcutaneous Tissue by the Diphtheria bacillus.* — 
Dr. C. H. Spronck found, after examining the bodies of three children 
who had died a few days after tracheotomy for diphtheria, that the sub- 
cutaneous tissue round about the wound was oedematous. On sectioning 
this, it had a yellowish-red appearance, and seemed spotted with small 
haemorrhages. In two cases it had spread up over the clavicles, and 
down as far as the thorax, yet the wound itself was not covered with any 
membrane, nor had an unhealthy appearance. Cultivation experiments 
showed that diphtheria bacilli were present all over the oedematous 
swelling. A similar oedema has been frequently observed in animals, 
especially in rabbits, when the trachea has been opened. 
Bacillus of soft Chancre.f — MM. Nicolle and Quinquand have for 
some weeks past found in every case of soft chancre the bacillus de- 
scribed by Unna, and in enormous numbers. The microbe is a bacillus 
with rounded ends, usually in chains, and found in the lymph and inter- 
cellular spaces, never in the cells themselves. The staining method 
indicated by Unna they declare to be unsatisfactory, and they obtained 
the best results with a phenol-methylen-blue solution. Cultivation ex- 
periments w r ere unsuccessful. 
Spirillum luteum.J — M. H. Jumelle describes a chromogenous bac- 
terium which he isolated on peptonized veal broth from fragments of 
decomposing Sphagnum. In about six days the medium became cloudy, 
and pure cultivations were obtained on plates. When grown on gelose 
or potato, lemon- coloured colonies are formed. Gelatin stroke cultiva- 
tions showed signs of liquefaction in about seven or eight days. In 
puncture cultivations the yellow colour was only developed near the 
surface, and if the medium be covered with a layer of sterilized oil no 
development takes place. Hence the bacterium is essentially aerobic. 
It can exist in the absence of nitrogen ; and in starchy media mixed with 
some saline matters glucose is formed. The presence of acids and anti- 
septics either inhibited or prevented development ; but if the organism 
were able to develope at all it was always yellow coloured, except in 
peptonized bouillon. The microbe grows very well in milk, coagulates 
it, and forms a thick yellow scum on the surface. 
In shape the bacterium is a thin bent rod, much resembling the 
comma bacillus when cultivated in bouillon. Sometimes the rods are 
* Centralbl. f. Allgem. Pathol, u. Pathologisch. Anatom., iii. (1892) No. 1. See 
Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., xii. (1892) p. 339. 
f La Semaine Med., 1892, No. 35. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., 
xii. (1892) p. 564. J Comptes Kendus, cxv. (1892) pp. 843-6. 
