ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
665 
Alleged Conversion of the Tyrothrix tenuis Duclaux into a Lactic 
Acid Bacterium.* — Dr. J. Wittlin has failed to be convinced that 
Tyrothrix tenuis may be converted into a lactic acid bacterium. The 
experiments were made with a sample obtained originally from Duclaux ; 
and after many cultivations on gelatin no evidence was forthcoming 
to support the conversion contended for. The author supposes that 
Winkler’s results were due to contamination. 
Branched Diphtheria Bacilli.f — Dr. A. A. Kanthack points out that 
the fact that diphtheria bacilli not infrequently exhibit true branching has 
been known in England for some time ; for in 1890 Klein stated in a report 
to the Local Government Board that “ many bacilli had become threads, 
some of considerable length, characterised by intermediate or terminal 
buds or swellings.” 
Vitality of Diphtheria Bacilli on Textile Fabrics, t — In order to 
test how long the diphtheria bacillus could retain its vitality on dried 
articles of clothing, Dr. A. Golowkow made experiments with square 
pieces of washed linen, frieze, cashmere, and grey satin (a material used 
for lining overcoats in the Russian army). These were placed in Petri’s 
capsules, and sterilised at 120°— 130° in a Papin’s digester. The pieces 
were then infected with bouillon cultures of diphtheria bacilli. Part 
of the capsules were exposed to the light, part kept in the dark, and all 
at room temperature. After a certain time the pieces were transferred 
to bouillon and incubated in a thermostat at 37°. It was found that 
diphtheria bacilli kept in the dark on dried linen lost their power of 
developing between the 16th and 23rd day, on frieze after the 13th, 
while on grey cashmere they were still alive on the 26th day. 
The bacilli on linen and on frieze exposed to the light were dead by 
the 20th day. On grey satin, unwashed before infection, the bacilli died 
in 21 hours; but if the fabric was infected after having been washed, 
the bacteria retained their vitality for 20 days. Hence some chemical 
substance which is in the dye or the dressing seems to play an important 
part. The virulence of the bacteria was found to be diminished by 
drying. 
Penetration of Cholera Vibrios into Hens’ Eggs.§ — Dr. A. Golowkow 
repeated Wilm’s experiments. Undamaged eggs, the shells being steri- 
lised by Hueppe’s method, or even without being sterilised, were placed 
in bouillon cultures of cholera vibrios for two to ten days. It was found 
that the vibrios got through the shell in two days, and passed into the 
white. In the whites of unsterilised eggs other micro-organisms besides 
the cholera vibrios were found. The vibrios were not discovered in the 
yolk till the fourth day. 
Bactericidal Action of the Waters of the' Jumna and the Ganges 
on the Cholera Vibrio. || — Dr. H. Hankin states that, notwithstanding 
* Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., 2 te Abt., ii. (1896) pp. 475-7. Cf. this 
Journal, ante, p. 228. 
f Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., l te Abt., xx. (1896) pp. 296-7. 
X Militarmedizin. Journal (Russian), ix. (1895). See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. 
Parasitenk., l‘« Abt., xx. (1896) pp. 319-20. 
§ Wratsch, 1896, No. 7. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., l te Abt., xx. 
(1896) pp. 314-5. Cf. this Journal, 1895, p. 576. 
|| Ann. Inst. Pasteur, x. (1896) pp. 511-23. 
