ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICROSCOPY, ETC. 
639 
B. xylinum on suitable media, was considered by Brown to be cellulose. 
According to the author this is incorrect. The zoogloea membrane con- 
tains only 2—3 per cent, nitrogen, and is insoluble in ammoniated copper 
oxide. It dissolves in strong hydrochloric acid when heated in a water- 
bath for two hours. When the mass, evaporated down to a syrupy 
consistence, has been treated with alcohol, the residue dissolved in water 
and decolorised with animal charcoal, glucosamin crystals are produced 
after evaporation and juxtaposition with sulphuric acid. This formation 
of glucosamin shows that the cell-membrane of the sorbose bacterium 
does not consist of pure cellulose, but contains a chitinoid body. 
Winterstein and others have demonstrated the presence of chitin in 
vegetable membrane, and Buppel the probability of its existence in 
tubercle bacilli. In B. xylinum must be recognised another vegetable 
organism which contains chitin. 
iEtiology of Yellow Fever. * — The United States Commission, 
appointed to investigate the cause of yellow fever, have issued their re- 
port. The chief conclusions therein are that Bacillus icteroides Sanarelli 
is the cause of yellow fever, and that the Bacillus x of Sternberg t has 
no causal relationship to the disease. They have discovered evidence 
that B. icteroides developes, both in vitro and in vivo, an extremely 
potent toxin, from which it is anticipated a very powerful anti-serum 
may eventually be obtained. 
Bacteriology of Fowl Epidemic in North Italy, f — Dr. C. Mazza 
reports that an epizootic has been raging among fowls in certain places 
in North Italy. The symptoms were quite like those of fowl cholera. 
From the juice of various organs a microbe was cultivated which grew 
well on the usual media, e.g. bouillon, blood-serum, agar, gelatin, and 
potato. In glucose bouillon gas was produced, and the reaction became 
acid ; no indol was formed. Milk was not coagulated. Stained pre- 
parations of 24 hours old cultures showed coccoid rodlets, frequently in 
pairs (0 * 7 /x long by 0 * 6 ft broad). In older cultures the rodlets were 
a little longer, and were sometimes swollen in the middle. 
Fowls and pigeons were found to be extremely sensitive to inocu- 
lation either by feeding or by subcutaneous injection. The morbid 
appearances were of course different ; in the one case resembling gastro- 
enteritis, in the other haemorrhagic septicaemia. 
From the fowl cholera bacillus the new microbe is distinguished by 
its shape and size and motility ; by not coagulating milk ; and in being 
but little pathogenic to rabbits. 
Hyphomicrobium vulgare.§ — Under this name Herren A. Stutzer 
and K. Hartleb describe a fungus which has a very extensive distribu- 
tion in the soil. It is a constant companion of nitrifying organisms, and 
is with difficulty removed from the cultures. Hyphomicrobium vulgare 
is unable to form either nitrite or nitrate, though these substances in 
nutrient media serve the fungus as source of nitrogen. It is not culti- 
vable on ordinary substrata, and the special media employed for nitri- 
* Lancet, 1899, ii. p. 902. t Cf. this Journal, 1898, p. 121. 
t Centralbl. Bakt. u. Far., l te Abt., xxvi. (1899) pp. 181-5. 
§ Mitteil. landwirthschaftl. Inst. k. Univ. Breslau, 1898. See Centralbl. Bakt u 
Par., 2‘* Abt., v. (1899) pp. 678-82. 
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