ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
465 
loses in sugar, tartar, and glycerin, and gains in fixed and volatile 
acids. 
Pathogenesis and Histogenesis of Cancer.* — Mr. F. J. Bose states 
that he has succeeded in cultivating cancer parasites in blood rendered 
incoagulable by leech extract. The organisms are cellular and of very 
variable form ; from these develop fragile spore forms, and eventually 
organisms of minute size. They belong to the class Sporozoa, as is 
shown by their staining and structure, the evolution in the cells, their 
evolutionary cycle, and their dimorphism. That the Sporozoa developed 
in cancers are to be regarded as the pathogenic agents is indicated by 
their constant presence, their numbers, and their dissemination in the 
zone of increase. Additional corroboration is afforded by the results 
of inoculating tumours containing parasites ; and the only objection that 
can be raised is that cancer has not yet been reproduced by means of 
pure cultures. This difficulty is considered to be got over by means 
of inoculations made with aseptically obtained Sporozoa. When the 
rabbit is inoculated with C. oviforme , tumours, identical with spontaneous 
tumours, are formed. When Klossia is inserted into the peritoneal sac 
of dogs, rabbits, and guinea-pigs, little disseminated tumours develop ; 
and spores of gregarina inserted into the lymphatic sac of frogs cause 
the formation of a tumour. In tumours of sarcomatous structure the 
transition from spore to sporozoit, and the different forms of cell- 
inclusions, may be followed. 
The histogenesis of tumours receives much light if their parasitic 
nature be conceded ; for when epithelium is invaded, the cells proliferate 
and hypertrophy, or may be destroyed by the development of the parasite ; 
and when the parasite invades the connective tissue, a neoplasm, origin- 
ally of epithelial origin, assumes a connective tissue type. Hence, the 
only specific element of malignant tumours is the parasite, and the process 
is really a chronic inflammation due to the action of a parasite, which 
at first provokes a hypernutrition of the cell, and afterwards destroys 
it by living at its expense and compressing its nucleus more and more. 
New Form of Tuberculosis.f — M. Ceourmont describes an atypical 
form of human tuberculosis due to .the presence of a streptobacillus. 
The organism grew freely in peptonised bouillon, the medium becoming 
cloudy in 24 hours at 30°, and without the formation of any pellicle 
or odour. On gelatin the growth was thin, white, and creamy. The 
organism is easily stained, but is decolorised by Gram’s method. It is 
a streptobacillus, the ends of which are slightly rounded. It is devoid 
of motion. Inoculation of the pure culture produced miliary tubercles, 
caseating abscess, and lesions similar to those produced by inoculation 
of the original fluid ; and the organism could subsequently be demon- 
strated in the various lesions. 
Mobility of the Tubercle Bacillus.^ — Herr W. Schumowski states 
that he has often observed mobile specimens of tubercle bacilli. By 
examining young bouillon cultures in the hanging drop, numerous 
rodlets may be seen moving. The motion consists in a vibration of the 
* Comptes Rendus, exxvi. (1898) pp. 1293-5. 
t Arch. Med. Exper., Jan. 1898. See Epit. Brit. Med. Journ., 1898, No. 389. 
X Centralbl. Bakt. u. Par., l te Abt., xxiii. (1898) pp. 838-9. 
