110 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
presence of germs, and of the bacteria found after death Staph, py. 
aureus was the first usually met with. 
Oysters and Enteric Fever.* — Dr. C. J. Foote made experiments 
for the purpose of ascertaining if the bacillus of typhoid fever will 
multiply in oysters placed under natural conditions. It was found that 
an increase did take place during the first two weeks after inoculation, 
but afterwards the numbers steadily decreased, though the presence of 
the organism was still demonstrable BO days after inoculation. It was 
also made out that the typhoid bacilli penetrated into the stomach of the 
oyster and retained their vitality in this situation, and further that the 
microbes were viable longer in the body of the oyster than in the water 
in which the molluscs were kept. 
Fluorescent Bacillus. — The following is the substance of Mr. F. J. 
Keid’s note, read at the last October meeting : — 
This microbe was isolated last June from tap-water. I have grown 
the bacillus under varying nutritive conditions, and when so grown it 
behaves in a similar manner to the pyocyanic bacillus under like con- 
ditions, as described by M. Gessard.f After isolation a tube of gelatin 
was inoculated ; in 12 hours fluorescence was noticed; in a few days the 
whole of the gelatin showed a vivid blue-green fluorescence ; the growth 
was thin, white, and pasty. Cultivated on glycerin-gelatin the growth 
changed, it became thick and luxuriant, in form resembling the leaf of 
Pteris serrulata ; fine feathery bunches extended from the surface growth 
into the depth of the culture medium. At first the pigmentary appear- 
ances are similar to those in ordinary gelatin, but later the green is lost 
and a blue coloration prevails. When grown upon glucose gelatin, the 
pigmentary properties are entirely lost, and the growth becomes scanty. 
Although there is no coloration of the gelatin, the growth itself becomes 
yellow. Albumen is coloured bright green. 
Broth cultures were heated, some for 5 minutes at 50° C., others for 
the same time at 57° C. ; inoculation to gelatin from the culture heated 
to 50° “ took ” at once ; no growth was obtained from the one heated to 
57°, unless it was allowed to stand for three days, indicating the exist- 
ence of spores. Heat did not destroy the colour-producing properties 
of the bacillus. 
Microscopic appearance. — Very motile, varies in size ; involution forms 
frequent. 
Plate colonies. — In depth, circular, well-defined edges, granular ; on 
surface, raised, irregular ; pale green. 
Agar. — Irregular pasty growth ; the agar rarely shows any colour. 
Broth. — On second day slightly fluorescent, in ten days a dry surface 
skin forms ; slimy sediment. 
Potato. — Thick slimy expansion, glazed surface, dirty yellow at first, 
afterwards colour of raw veal ; later still, dark brown ; tough and stringy, 
may be picked up with the needle. Optimum temperature, 18°-20° 0. 
Gelatin is not liquefied. 
Since writing the above I notice that grape-sugar added to gelatin 
inhibits the growth of many pigment-forming bacilli. With prodigiosus 
the gelatin is not liquefied and the red colour is absent. 
* Medical News, 1895, March 23.« See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., 
l te Abt , xviii. (1895) p. 502. 
t M. C. Gessard, ‘ Des races du bacille pyocyanique,’ Ann. Inst. Pasteur. 
