ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
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ments, while still later rodlets and spores appear. The microbe was 
isolated by Caron, and named by him B. Ellenbachensis alpha. Accor- 
ding to the isolator (Caron), the microbe has the power of collecting 
nitrogen and converting it into a form assimilable by plants, and to such 
an extent that soil inoculated with the organism returns 135 per cent, 
without even the necessity of manuring. The s author, in conjunction 
with Prof. Stutzer, has examined the morphological and physiological 
characters of this bacillus. They find that it belongs to the group of 
hay bacilli ; hence its formation of long filaments and endogenous spores. 
They further found that in the presence of nitrogenised media there was 
a distinct loss of nitrogen, the compounds being split up into amines, 
ammonia, and apparently also free nitrogen. They therefore came to 
the conclusion that the alinit bacteria would exert no useful effect in 
husbandry. 
Experimental Typhoid Fever.* — M. P. Remlinger finds that it is 
possible to impart to rats and rabbits, by feeding them with infected 
material, a disease which, from bacteriological and morbid anatomy 
points of view, is extremely like the typhoid fever of man. Out of eight 
rabbits fed on contaminated food, four remained free from morbid 
symptoms, and did not exhibit the serum reaction. Two recovered after 
fever, emaciation, and diarrhoea, their blood giving the typhoid reaction. 
Two died ; these in addition to the phenomena just cited, had inflammation 
and ulceration of the small intestine, and enlargement of the mesenteric 
glands and spleen. From the latter pure cultures of B. typhosus were 
procured. Very similar results were obtained with rats. 
Bacteriology of Acute Articular Rheumatism.-j* — Dr. P. Achalme 
describes an anaerobic bacillus which he has isolated from cases of acute 
articular rheumatism. It w T as first detected in the fluids of a person 
dead of rheumatic fever, and was afterwards discovered in the blood of 
patients suffering from this disease. In the human body it exactly re- 
sembles in size and shape Bacillus anthracis ; while in cultures its length 
varies with the quality of the medium, being very short in those con- 
taining much carbohydrate, while in simple bouillon or serous fluid it is 
longer, and almost filamentous in human urine and peptonised gelatin. 
It is easily stained by anilin dyes and by Gram’s method. In young 
cultures the bacilli exhibit slow inconstant movements which soon cease 
and are easily stopped. Terminal spores are formed, and these will 
stand boiling for three minutes. They are obtained only with difficulty. 
To obtain successful cultures it is absolutely necessary to exclude 
oxygen. The optimum temperature is from 30°-38°. Solid media are 
useless for isolation’ purposes. The best media are alkaline bouillon, 
especially horse bouillon, while the addition of glucose, lactose, or 
glycerin increases the proliferation. Milk is a useful medium, and the 
culture on human urine is interesting, inasmuch as urates are precipitated. 
Salicylate of soda added in the proportion of one gramme to the litre 
prevents any development. 
During cultivation the bacillus gives off hydrogen and carbonic acid, 
and not infrequently odorous products ; it coagulates casein and dilute 
serum, and liquefies gelatin. Starch is liquefied without being converted 
* Ann. Inst. Pasteur, xi. (1897) pp. 829-3G (4 figs.), t Tom. cit., pp. 845-59. 
