550 
BEES AND BEE-KEEPING. 
general use in England and America, and on the 
continent of Europe. 
Bacillus alvei, running riot amongst the spermatozoa, 
either because a bacillus has been accidentally intro- 
duced into the vulva at the time of mating, or 
because the drone himself was infected, offers a 
curious subject for speculation. That the bacilli in 
some way affect the vitality of the spermatozoa, I 
have had abundant opportunity of witnessing, and 
have strong ground for supposing that if these, de- 
vitalised, are passed into the micropyle of the egg 
(page 231, Vol. L), they, whose function it is to 
differentiate the sex, only partially complete their 
work, and hermaphrodites are produced. 
The evidence as yet given that Bacillus alvei is 
the cause, and not a consequence, of the disease, might 
be regarded as conclusive ; yet science rightly demands 
further corroboration, which is supplied by what is 
called cultivation and re-introduction. Let me now 
divest the process of cultivation of every non-essential, 
so explaining it that any, with most trifling cost, 
may follow the experiments given. The plans detailed 
in the text-books are more elaborate, but are not 
really better, as I can testify from following both. 
Those desiring the more usual methods may consult 
Dr. Klein’s “ Micro-organisms in Disease” or Dr. Crook- 
shank’s “ Bacteriology.” 
The banishment of micro-organisms would clearly 
prevent those changes which are the direct result of 
their presence — viz., fermentation, putrefaction, and 
zymotic diseases. E.g., milk sours through the mul- 
tiplication of a germ ; if the milk be boiled in a 
