ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
527 
salt, and tlien heats the mixture in a water-bath at 50° until the ingre- 
dients have dissolved. The mixture is then neutralised with soda 
solution until it has a clearly alkaline reaction, whereupon the white 
of an egg is added and the whole strongly shaken. The solution is next 
steam sterilized at 100° for one hour, and afterwards hot-filtered. The 
filtrate, having been distributed in test-tubes, is steam sterilized on 
three consecutive days for 16 minutes. This 25 per cent, gelatin remains 
firm up to 30° C. When plates are inoculated with cholera and incu- 
bated at 27° *5-28° the colonies attain in 9-10 hours the same size as 
when grown on 10 per cent, gelatin at 21° in two days. 
Examining Water for Anaerobic Bacteria.* — Herr G. P. Drossbach 
finds that the absorption method of cultivating anaerobes may be success- 
fully carried out in the following manner. Petri’s capsules uncovered 
are placed on wire triangles and piled up one over another in an 
exsiccator, the floor of which is covered with some substance eagerly 
absorbent of oxygen. The author uses iron protoxide or chromium 
acetate. In using the former the floor of the exsiccator is covered with 
a layer, 1-2 cm. high, of caustic soda, upon which an equivalent 
quantity of iron chloride solution is deposited. The lid having been 
imposed the two fluids are mixed by just turning the exsiccator round 
and round. 
Chromium acetate acts still more energetically than iron oxide as an 
oxygen absorbent. In this case instead of caustic soda a saturated 
solution of sodium acetate is used. Upon this an unfiltered saturated 
solution of chromium sesquichloride is deposited. This solution is 
previously reduced to a blue colour with Zn -f- HC1. 
Experiments as to Vitality of Anthrax Spores in Earth and 
Water. | — Drs. S. Sirena and G. Scagliosi record some facts relative 
to the vitality of anthrax in earth, in sea, drinking and drain water. 
These media were used sterilized and unsterilized, and kept at rest and 
in motion. It was found that anthrax spores were alive and retained 
their virulence in distilled water for over 20 months ; in earth, moist, 
dry, or covered with water, for over 2 years and 9 months ; in sea- 
water for 1 year and 7 months ; in drinking-water and in sterilized sea- 
water for 17 months ; in drain- water for nearly 16 months ; and in a 
decomposing spleen for more than 2 years. It would seem that the 
media in which the anthrax has lived has some influence on the virulence 
of the organism. 
Microbicidal Action of Gallanol.J— MM. Cazeneuve and Et. and 
N. Eodet have made experiments relative to the effect of gallanol on 
the vitality and pathogeneity of bacteria. The organisms used were 
B. anthracis , Staphylococcus aureus , Pyocyaneus, Bacillus typhosus , and 
Bacterium coli commune. They mixed gallanol in various proportions 
with nutrient bouillon (5-10 per cent, and 0*1 and 0*02 per cent.). 
Cultivations of the above-mentioned bacteria were quite killed in a short 
* Chemikerzeitung, xvii. (1893) p. 1483, See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Para- 
sitenk., xv. (1894) pp. 775-6. 
f Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., xv. (1894) p. 952. 
i Lyon Medicale, 1893, No. 45. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., xv. 
(1894) pp. 574-5. 
