676 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
The authors came to the conclusion that anthrax in small animals — 
mice, guinea-pigs, rabbits — is at first a local disorder, and if, owing to 
diffusion of their toxic products from the bacilli at the inoculation site, 
the bactericidal influence of the blood be overcome, then a free dis- 
semination in the blood may ensue. 
Pleomorphism of Tubercle Bacillus.* — In connection with a commu- 
nication of Fischel, who states that his investigations into the morpho- 
logy and biology of the tubercle bacillus lead him to the conclusion 
that what is now known as tubercle bacillus is the parasitic form of a 
micro-organism originally saprophytic, forming branched filaments, and 
also club-shaped elements having resemblance to Actinomyces , Dr. E. 
Klein claims that, in 1890, he pointed out that in some cultivations 
in glycerin-agar and bouillon, the tubercle bacilli were found with 
branched mycele-like filaments and bulbous end-expansions. Between 
these filaments and the typical tubercle bacilli all kinds of intermediate 
forms were found. All these forms assumed the typical tubercle stain, 
and about the purity of the cultivations there was no doubt. The 
author then stated, “ The tubercle bacillus as met with in the human 
and (other) animal bodies, in serum cultures, and in the first months in 
glycerin-agar and bouillon cultures, is but a phase in the life-cycle of 
a micro-organism morphologically allied to mycele-fungi.” 
Hog-Cholera and Phagocytosis.f — Prof. E. Metschnikoff pursues 
his studies on immunity, and from experiments made with the bacteria 
of hog-cholera, finds that protection against this disease is due to the 
active interference of phagocytes. His conclusions are that : — (1) The 
serum of rabbits vaccinated against hog-cholera does not possess 
bactericidal or antitoxic properties. (2) The same serum does not 
possess the power of attenuating the virulence of the microbe of hog- 
cholera. (3) Despite the absence of the foregoing properties, the serum 
of vaccinated rabbits preserved fresh unvaccinated rabbits against fatal 
infection from the bacteria of hog-cholera. (4) This property is not 
found in the liquid oedema set up by stoppage of the circulation. 
(5) The bactericidal property of the organism of vaccinated rabbits 
resides in the phagocytes. (6) The pus of vaccinated rabbits retains 
for a long time virulent microbes. (7) The organism of vaccinated 
rabbits is very sensitive to the toxines of hog-cholera, and is not pos- 
sessed of any antitoxic property. (8) Phagocytes play a very import- 
ant part in the resistance of vaccinated rabbits. (9) Phagocytes also 
play a very important part in the resistance of rabbits unvaccinated, 
but treated with the preservative serum. Under these circumstances it 
is probable that this liquid exerts a stimulating influence on the phago- 
cytes. 
Clasmatocytes and their Relation to Suppuration.^ — Prof. L. 
Eanvier detected the existence of clasmatocytes by treating the femoral 
aponeurosis of the frog successively with osmic acid and methyl-violet 
5 B. Side by side with the fixed cells were other cells stained deep 
violet, and having all the morphological characters of the migratory 
* Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., xii. (1892) pp. 905-6. 
f Ann. Inst. Pasteur, 1892, p. 269. 
X Comptes Rendus, cxvi. (1893) pp. 295-7. 
