118 
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
trating properties, which are dependent upon their extreme 
minuteness. Dr. Greenfield’s observation of accumulation 
of Bacterian organisms in the kidneys, and their passage 
from the body by the urine, is a matter which serves to 
draw our attention to a means of distribution of anthrax 
through pastures. He gives us some information on 
“ Loodianah fever ” and on the “ Cape horse sickness con¬ 
sidering each of these diseases anthracoid. The former of 
these affections has not received very much attention from 
him, but the latter is found to be due to a Bacillus, whereby 
an observation of Mr. Wiltshire, M.R.C.V.S., Government 
Inspector to the Colony of Natal, is confirmed. This or¬ 
ganism has now been cultivated, carefully examined, and 
found to give rise to disease when introduced into the 
systems of small animals. The observations of several foreign 
veterinarians have pointed to the existence of specific or¬ 
ganisms in glanders, but we are not aware that any observer 
has, like Dr. Greenfield, cultivated the organism, examined 
it under very high powers, and accurately noted certain 
phases of its life-history. The organism in question is a 
Bacillus closely allied to Bacillus anthracis . The light thus 
thrown upon the nature of farcy-glanders ought to prove an 
incentive to veterinarians to resume careful investigation of 
this formidable disease. The observation that the organism 
of septicaemia is not Bacterium, termo , though closely allied 
to it, will clear up many obscurities; this bad been many 
times suggested from an examination of collateral conditions, 
but all such surmises must yield precedence to the actual 
observation of the committee on septicaemia and pyaemia. 
The remarkable “ flagellate organisms” observed by the pro¬ 
fessor in the peritoneal fluid of an inoculated animal, and 
considered by him to have “ some pathological importance,” 
are highly interesting ; the relations of Infusorians to the 
higher organisms are by no means well ascertained, and we 
learn that certain biologists are inclined to hold that their 
relations to Bacteria are of a very intimate character. 
Whatever view we may take of this we cannot but hope that 
Dr. Greenfield will again meet with some of these remarkable 
