ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
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on the cholera vibrio. (7) As long as young rabbits are being suckled 
they are very sensitive to the cholera vibrio, and this cholera is aided 
by the action of certain microbes. (8) Young guinea-pigs are less 
sensitive than young rabbits to intestinal cholera. (9) Young rabbits 
cannot be vaccinated successfully against intestinal cholera, either with 
sterilized or living cultures. (10) Young rabbits may be occasionally 
vaccinated successfully by means of the serum of animals vaccinated 
against cholera peritonitis. Normal horse serum is useless. (11) The 
attempts to prevent cholera by means of microbes have shown that 
bacteria exist in the alimentary canal inhibitory of the cholera vibrio, 
but at present the results are inconclusive. (12) In the immunity and 
receptivity of man and animals to intestinal cholera, the microbic flora 
of the alimentary canal plays an important part. Relying on this fact, 
we may readily reconcile the fundamental truth that the vibrio of Koch 
is the specific cause of cholera with the data of epidemiology, especially 
with the influence of places and time on the progress of cholera 
epidemics. 
Variations of the Cholera Vibrio. * — Herr R. Claussen gives an 
interesting account of transitory variation in the characters of the 
cholera vibrio. Microscopical examination of hanging drops showed 
the characteristic movements, and stained preparations the curved rod- 
lets. Gelatin plate cultivations showed many colonies, though the 
edges seemed a little eroded. These colonies were composed of curved 
rodlets exhibiting lively movements, and the same appearances were 
observed in pepton-water cultivations. The nitroso-indol reaction was, 
however, absent. Fresh cultures on plates, tubes, and on pepton-water 
were made, and a guinea-pig intraperitoneally injected. From the 
cultures the same results ensued, and the guinea-pig did not die. 
Plate cultivations on agar were then made, and then transferences to 
pepton-water, with which a guinea-pig was injected. The animal died, 
and the pepton cultures now gave the nitroso-indol reaction. 
Cholera Vibrio of the Epidemic in Holland.j — From a series of 
observations made during the epidemic of cholera in Holland in 1892-3, 
Prof. C. H. H. Spronck concludes that the vibrios isolated from the 
Dutch waters are identical with the original type discovered by Koch in 
India. During this epidemic it was noticed that the vibrios underwent 
spontaneous variation, and that the virulence of organisms even recently 
isolated from cholera dejecta was variable. Cultures kept in the labora- 
tory became quite unstable. The vibrios which had been found in 
Dutch waters during the epidemic disappeared with its cessation. 
Many attempts were made to obtain a phosphorescent vibrio cultiva- 
tion, but none were successful. 
Coarse and Fine Spirilla in Gut of Pig.J— Dr. Th. Smith recalls 
an observation made by him' in 1889, which is of interest in respect of 
recent finds of fine spirilla in cholera dejecta. He then found non* 
liquefying comma bacilli in the large intestine of swine. Preparations 
stained with alkaline methylen-blue showed, besides vibrios, numerous 
* Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., xvi. (1894) pp. 325-6. 
t Verhandel. Kon. Akad. Wetensch. Amsterdam, 2 te Sec., Dcel iii. No. 12. 
X Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., xvi. (1894) p. 324. 
