ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
193 
from the organs indicated the existence of a general saccharomycosis. 
Subcutaneous injections resulted in a saccharomycosis with the forma- 
tion of abscesses, the walls of which were formed of young connec- 
tive tissue, fibroblasts, and giant cells. 
The Blastomycetes in the tissues were demonstrated by means of 
heematoxylin, eosin, and Bismarck-brown. 
New Experiments on Spore-formation in Saccharomycetes.* — By 
cultivating on the following media : — (1) pepton 1 per cent., dextrose 
5 per cent., potassium phosphate 0 • 3 per cent., magnesium sulphate 
0*2 percent. ; (2) pepton 1 per cent., maltose 5 percent., potassium phos- 
phate 0 • 3 per cent., magnesium sulphate 0 • 5 per cent. ; (3) beerwort, 
Saccharomyces cerevisise i., Sacch. Pasteur i., and Johannisberg ii.. Prof. 
E. C. Hansen found that the growth in all three fluids was quite alike, 
and that the different chemical composition of the medium had in this 
case at least no influence on the maximum temperature for spore-forma- 
tion. 
Vaccinating Properties of Mushroom-juice against Venom. | — 
M. C. Phisalix has found that mushrooms contain substances having 
vaccinating properties against serpent venom. Some two hundred ex- 
periments made with poisonous and edible mushrooms show that their 
juice, which contains these bodies in solution, confers immunity against 
venom. Injection (subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, and intravenous) of 
small doses of the juice of Agaricus arvensis produces local and general 
reaction ; of large doses, rapid death, with clotting of the blood. The 
toxic effects of the juice, even when heated for 20 minutes to 120°, are 
not completely removed. 
When a guinea-pig has been injected with 5-20 ccm. of the juice, 
after a few days it will resist a dose of venom fatal in 5-6 hours to the 
controls. This immunity may be augmented to a certain degree by in- 
creasing the number of inoculations. The immunity thus acquired lasts 
15 days to a month. 
The raw juice often produces necrotic effects ; these are lessened by 
using filtered juice, and are avoided by boiling it for a few minutes. 
This, so far from impairing the vaccinating property, rather seems to 
favour it. 
Protophyta. 
B. Schizomycetes. 
Crenothrix Kuhniana.J — Sig. G. Gasperini enters, in great detail, 
into the life-history of this organism, and the causes of its injurious 
effects on drinking water. The species is identified with Cohn’s C.poly- 
sjpora ; and the author sinks the genus in Beggiatoa , of which it is 
merely a growth-form. The organism may occur in four different 
forms : — A zoogloea or palmella form ; in the forms of septated and of 
non-sep tated filaments ; and in a moniliform condition. Crenothrix may 
be regarded as a form of Beggiatoa capable of forming an ochraceous 
sheath in ferruginous waters. 
* Centralbl. Bakt. u. Par., 2 t# Abt., v. (1899) pp. 1-6. 
t Comptes Rendus, cxxvii. (1898) pp. 1036-8.. 
X Atti Soc. Tosc. Sci. Nat., xvi. (1898) pp. 240-359 (2 pis.). 
