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SUMMARY OP CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
The nucleus lies about the middle of the animal and the contractile 
vesicle posteriorly. It measures about 0*0136 mm. long and about 
0*0051 mm. broad. There are four flagella, two long and two short. 
Structure of the Malaria Parasites of the Summer and Autumn 
Fevers.* — Drs. Bastianelli and Bignami made preparations of the blood 
and spleen juice of malarious persons, and treated the material by spreading 
it on cover-glasses, drying at room temperature, fixing with equal parts 
of absolute alcohol and ether, and then staining with haematoxylin and 
eosin. The young Amoeba consists of cytoplasm, of which the external 
layer only stains. In all are visible one or more chromatin granules, but 
a nuclear body could not be clearly determined. As soon as they begin 
to multiply, the chromatin granules disappear. The cytoplasm increases 
in amount and becomes granular or homogeneous, while at the same time 
pigment collects in the centre or at the side of the parasite. In this way 
the “ small bodies ” with central pigment about one-fourth or one-fifth the 
bulk of a red corpuscle arise. These are composed of a homogeneous 
plasma the outer layer of which is thicker than the central portions. 
At this stage proliferation suddenly occurs, though it not unfrequently 
happens that the small body with central pigment continues to grow, 
though apparently never attaining the size of a red corpuscle. In the 
largest forms found free in the plasma and in the spleen, degeneration 
appearances are to be observed. The stage of multiplication is marked 
by the appearance of minute coloured puncta in the body of the parasite. 
These gradually coalesce, and finally a definite collection of chromo- 
philous protoplasm is formed. Spores produced in this way differ 
from young plasmodia in that they have a definite and constant form, 
are devoid of achromatic cytoplasm and are motionless. The authors 
maintain that in this variety of parasite a true nucleus cannot 
be demonstrated. The chromatin granules which form a part of the 
cytoplasm, and which are dissolved in this in the preliminary stage of 
proliferation, represent the first and most important stage of the young 
spores and are to be regarded as that part of the parasite which performs 
the function of a nucleus. From the rapid and constant proliferation it 
may be inferred there is no resting stage of the nucleus. The crescent- 
shaped forms are usually faintly, though regularly stained. Frequently 
they are without chromatin granules. They have no membrane, and 
there is no differentiation of the protoplasm. The authors are of opinion 
that these forms are to be regarded as a sterile phase in the life-history 
of the parasite. 
Protozoa in Abscess of Lung and Liver.f — Herr Grimm found in 
the sputum, and in the pus of pulmonary and hepatic abscesses, 
Flagellata of fairly high organization. These bodies were from 30 
to 60 fx long, of the shape of a myrtle leaf, and have a long tail-like 
process. The somatic parenchyma was enclosed by a definite and 
highly refracting margin which by internal prolongations divided the 
body into three compartments. The author inclined to the view that 
the two abscesses had different sources of infection. 
* Mitteil. XI. Internat. Med. Kongr. in Bom. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. 
Parasitenk., xvi. (1894) pp. 357-8. 
t Langenbeck’s Arch. f. Chirurgie, xlviii. No. 2. t See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. 
Parasitenk., xvi. (1894) p. 534. 
