680 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
(2) In a general sense, the more severe the disease, the more virulent is 
the streptococcus. (3) The virulence is easily measured ( a ) by inocu- 
lation on a rabbit’s ear ; ( b ) by inoculation on a serous membrane. (4) 
The virulence of one and the same streptococcus is liable to variation. 
It is increased by being passed through the rabbit ; it is diminished or 
lost if not resown. (5) Any particular streptococcus will acquire a high 
degree of virulence so much the more quickly according as it is already 
possessed of a greater degree of virulence. (6) Non-virulent strepto- 
cocci acquire pathogenic properties if they bo associated with irritant 
liquids such as the bile. (7) Streptococci from the mouth are habi- 
tually less virulent, but their virulence may be increased by passage 
through animals. (8) Virulence is not associated with any special 
kind of development in bouillon. (9) The works of Von Lingelsheim 
and of Kurth on the classification of streptococci are fundamentally 
defective, inasmuch as they did not take into account the variation of 
virulence. 
Bacillus mucosus ozsenae.* — Dr. R. Abel describes a bacillus which 
he isolated from cases of Rhinitis atrophicans foetida or Ozsena vera, a 
catarrhal inflammation of the nasal mucosa leading to atrophy, in 
which the secretion soon dries and exhales a very unpleasant odour. 
The bacilli are short and plump, frequently arranged in pairs or in 
chains, and have much resemblance to Friedlander’s pneumobacillus. 
Not unfrequently they are surrounded by a capsule which may be 
twice as broad as the rodlet. The organism was cultivated with 
facility on all the usual media, and succeeded best at incubation tem- 
peratures and with free access of air, although its growth was not 
materially interfered with at room temperature and in the absence of oxy- 
gen. On all media a peculiar smell likened to the odour from ferment- 
ing malt was perceptible. The development of the bacilli was but little 
interfered with by differences in the reaction of the medium. The 
bacilli were easily stained with all the usual anilin dyes, and on heating 
cover-glass preparations with alkaline methylen-blue or phenol fuchsin, 
the capsules were so deeply stained that the bacilli were hidden. Gram’s 
method failed. The microbe is pathogenic to white mice, the greatest 
change being found in the spleen, which is much enlarged and congested. 
The blood reeks with ozaena bacilli. 
Rats and mice were refractory to subcutaneous injection, but suc- 
cumbed to injections into abdominal cavity and into lungs. 
The author then points out, at considerable length, the characters 
which distinguish B. mucosus ozsense from other bacteria of somewhat 
similar appearance. 
Micro-organisms of the Mouth. | — Dr. E. W. Roughton has brought 
together, in an interesting and useful form, an account of the micro- 
organisms of the mouth, and their effects on the mouth and other parts 
of the body. Many of the troubles to which the mouth is subject are 
undoubtedly due to them, and they are found in great numbers and 
considerable variety. 
* Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., xiii. (1893) pp. 161-73. 
f Trans. Odontol. Soc. Great Britain, xxv. (1893) pp. 71-88 (6 pis.). 
