406 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
Na 2 C0 3 to 10 ccm. of slightly alkaline nutrient gelatin. The first 
column gives the amount, the second the result, in the number of 
germs which developed. In two tables are contrasted the maximum 
and minimum results from a series of eight experiments. 
In Table I. the optimum amount of Na 2 C0 3 is O' 01008 grm., 2976 
germs developing; in Table II. it is O' 0212 grm., the number of germs 
being 740. In a third table the rapidly diminishing number of germs 
from adding definite quantities of tartaric acid is shown. 
From his experiments, which are certainly suggestive, the author 
concludes that it is advisable to impart a definite alkalinity to nutrient 
media when used for the bacteriological examination of drinking-water, 
and points out that the ordinary method of determining the alkalinity 
of the media, by the use of litmus paper, is fallacious, since the alka- 
linity of these papers is variable. 
Influence of the quantity of Tubercle Bacilli injected on the course 
of the disease in rabbits and guinea-pigs.* — The ofttimes observed 
chronic course of tuberculosis in inoculated guinea-pigs, and the fre- 
quently negative results in rabbits, M. Wyssokowitch refers to the small 
quantity of the tubercle bacilli injected rather than to a diminished 
virulence. His experiments show that the quantity of inoculated bacilli 
exerts a considerable influence on the development of the tuberculosis, 
especially in less sensitive animals. The fewer the tubercle bacilli 
injected, the slower as a rule was the course of the disease. 
Defensive Proteids of the Rat.f — Not long ago Mr. E. H. Hankin 
directed attention to a class of proteids which possess a germicidal 
action, and which he termed “ defensive proteids.” It seemed possible 
that these bodies were the cause of the germicidal action of the blood- 
serum, and, if so, it might be expected that rat’s serum owed its bacteri- 
cidal properties to a similar substance, and as Behring ascribed this 
property to the alkalinity of some unknown base, it was further not 
improbable that this as yet unisolated substance possessed an alkaline 
reaction. Now it had been already determined by Kiihne and Chittenden 
and Martin that such alkaline proteids exist. All three are albumoses. 
To obtain these bodies the simple method of dialysing was resorted to, 
and the toxic albumoses thus isolated differed from the albumoses of 
peptic digestion by their alkaline reaction. By this method the author 
isolated from the spleen of the rat a proteid which destroys bacteria 
and possesses an alkaline reaction. 
From his experiments the author concludes that there exists in the 
spleen and serum of the rat a basic body which is distinguished from all 
known bases by the fact that it is insoluble in alcohol and distilled water 
and is not dialy sable. It is a basic body belonging to the albuminoids 
and more strictly to the globulins. This globulin possesses a germicidal 
action, and it is due to its presence that the serum of the rat owes its 
power of destroying anthrax bacilli. Apparently, the immunity enjoyed 
by the rat to anthrax and diphtheria is, partially at least, brought 
about by the power of the rat-body to produce this substance. 
The germicidal property of this substance can exist not only without, 
* Trans. Internat. Med. Congress, 1891. See Bot. Centralbl., xlvii. (1891) p. 328. 
t Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasiteuk., ix. (1891) pp. 336-9, 372-5. 
