The experiments with individual strains in sterile water show a marked difference between the behaviour of the streptococci and B. coli. In all cases the streptococci diminished in numbers and in two experiments were practically eliminated at the end of 2 weeks while in the other two they did not survive very much longer. On the other hand the B. coli strains although in a medium which contained little or no organic matter, and which was not in any sense a nutrient medium, showed in every case multiplication, in most extensive multiplication. This was rather contrary to our anticipations as although we were prepared for prolonged survival under conditions of freedom from com peting bacteria we did not anticipate such marked increase in numbers. In Exp. XIX the bacillus tested was still present over fifty-fold of the original number at the end of 11 weeks.

We have given some attention to the characters of the surviving types of B. coli in the tank experiments. Generally speaking they were quite normal in respect of fermentation reactions but on three occasions, Exps. XIII, XV and XX, the capsulated “high ratio” (CO2: H) coli of Clark and Lubbs were found, and in Exps. IV, XX and XXI the surviving organisms isolated were also capsulated but not “high ratio” organisms. It appears possible that the capacity to form capsules has something to do with the viability of these organisms and Exps. XXII and XXIV are evidence in this direction, but it is to be noted that the surviving B. coli in Exp. XVI after 7 weeks produced no definite capsule when grown in milk.

In Exp. XX the original sewage was plated out upon lactose neutral red bile salt agar and 10 strains of B. coli isolated of which 50 per cent, showed capsule formation. Fourteen days later 11 strains were isolated from the sewage tank water and of these 90 per cent, were weak lactose fermenters and showed no capsule formation. In the same experiment 2 strains isolated after 4 weeks and another after 5 weeks showed definite capsule formation. The ultimate B. coli survivors were a pparently all capsulated organisms, although at the start as many non-capsulated as capsula ted organisms were present.

The tank experiments with excreta or sewage added to a large bulk of water yielded minor differences in the individual experiments, but in general they all show a rapid diminution and elimination of the streptococci and a continuous but not quite so rapid diminution inthe number of B. coli. With the latter it was more common to find persistence in small numbers for a period extending to many weeks. The elimination of the streptococci was particularly uniform and rapid. At the end of 2 weeks in only one experiment were they present in more than insignificant numbers.

While the diminutioji was rather more rapid for excreta than for sewage for both streptococci and B. coli, no definite constant differences in relation to the kind of contamination could be made out.

The decline curves of both organisms agree very closely as can be most readily seen if the figures are plotted out as graphs. Three of the experiments, in which the initial numbers of B. coli and streptococci were identical, and also Exp. XI are set out in this way.

The available data is hardly extensive enough to enable deductions to be drawn other than broad and general ones, but the facts add confirmation to the view that the presence of either streptococci or B. coli in considerable numbers, i.e. in 1 or even 10 c.c. of a water, can only indicate contamination considerable in amount and of recent origin.

In particular the finding of streptococci in any numbers can be accepted as indicating considerable and recent contamination. We consider that the streptococcus determination is very valuable on its positive side as an indication of recent contamination. As a means of judging of the recency of the contamination it is even more valuable than the B. coli enumeration.

Put another way our experimental data shows that in nearly every case there is a marked diminution in the number of both B. coli and streptococci at the end of even 1 week, so that it.follows that when these organisms are found in large numbers the contamination must have been either very recent or especially abundant.

Bile is often referred to as if its chemical composition was constant and that by treating samples of bile with extractives similar results would be obtained, whereas samples of human bile differ to such an extent that the term bile in itself signifies little. Two samples of human bile may differ to such an extent that while one sample has the qualities of true bile as regards its bile salt content the other may be entirely devoid of lytic action on red blood cells. Numerous experiments made with human bile obtained during life and from the post mortem room have shown this to be correct. The actual bile salt content of bile can be judged by boiling the bile to remove much of the protein, and also to destroy bacterial activity and then contrast the haemolytic activity of the treated sample with a 1 per cent, solution of bile salt in normal saline.

In twenty-five consecutive cases in which nasopharyngeal cultures have been made from patients suffering from bacteriologically proved cerebro-spinal meningitis, meningococci have been obtained.

A striking similarity between the organisms from the two sites has been shown to exist for not only are they of the same agglutinable type but in the majority of instances individual peculiarities of agglutination have corresponded. The closeness of relation has been further demonstrated by the carbohydrate reaction in one case in which the unusual property of bleaching glucose litmus broth to a yellow colour was possessed by both organisms. Nevertheless, in a certain number of instances, though organisms of a different agglutinable type have not been isolated, as by other workers, there have been found certain minor variations of agglutination. That most if not all of these variations are due to alteration of the agglutinable capacity of one of the organisms seems probable, as in the six cases where most marked difference existed (Nos. 1, 3 and 24 of Type I and Nos. 15, 16 and 18 of Type II) the chances of the other alternative, namely that a second infection had happened in each case to be of the same agglutinable type, are remote.

In the twenty-five cases the proportion of the types present has been shown to agree with that found by other workers during the same period. Seven of the infections (28 per cent.) have been due to Type I and eighteen (72 per cent.) to Type II.

Ten of the cases have occurred in children under the age of two years, and the proportion of the two types among them has been approximately the same as among older patients.

The writer is indebted to the members of the staff of St Bartholomew's Hospital for permission to publish their cases, and gratefully acknowledges the encouragement and assistance of Professor Andrewes at whose instigation these investigations were conducted.

1. Of 123 dysentery bacilli isolated, forty-seven were B. dysenteriae Shiga, seventy-six were mannite fermenters.

2. The biochemical activities of forty-nine strains of the latter were investigated immediately after isolation and again six months later. They showed variability as regards the fermentation of maltose, saccharose, dextrin, raffinose, arabinose, isodulcite, sorbite and glycerin and in the formation of indol. The same strain varied at different times, some gaining, others losing one or other of the above properties.

Similar observations by other observers and the authors are discussed and the conclusion is arrived at that the separation of the mannite fermenting dysentery bacilli into groups on the ground of their action upon the above carbohydrates is unsound and that the only carbo-hydrates of service for their identification are glucose, mannite, lactose and dulcite.

3. An experiment conducted during two and a half months upon a particular strain of dysentery bacillus shows that the fermentation of saccharose was in this strain a “recessive character” and only maintained by artificial selection.

4. One-sixth of the mannite fermenting dysentery organisms isolated were not agglutinated by a univalent Y (rabbit's) serum at the time of isolation but half of these acquired this property by cultivation. Others were well agglutinated by the patient's serum. An experiment is described in which agglutinability to Y serum was lost under prolonged cultivation on saccharose peptone media. In this experiment successive cultures were made every few days and the material for subcultivation was taken from daughter colonies (buds), which arose in the saccharose plates. Agglutinability was rapidly regained by propagation in broth. From the author's experience and from a survey of the literature, the conclusion is arrived at that no one univalent serum will agglutinate all dysentery bacilli of the mannite fermenting type and that a bacillus with the morphological, cultural, and biochemical characters of dysentery bacilli of this type is not discredited as an etiological factor because it is not agglutinated by any particular univalent serum.

In conclusion we express our indebtedness to Miss Rhodes of the Lister Institute for retesting many of the cultures in London, in January, 1917, and convey to her our grateful appreciation of her kindness in so doing.

“White Australia,” the pleasant dream of a peculiar political party, is a subject on which a few years ago it would have been inadvisable if not unsafe to venture too unrestrained opinions. There was a time when in certain quarters the euphonious phrase was almost tantamount to a war cry. To some political dreamers it may even have been a perennial dream, full of visions of whiteness and purity, just as to us in England the mention of the “Pearly Pacific” conjures up vistas of prattling palms, wimpling waters and silvery strands. The dream is a pretty one, fitting theme for the poet and artist; Samoa and R. L. Stevenson, what a perfect juxtaposition! What delectable tales our romance weavers indulge us with! The gorgeous colouring, the wondrous life, the glorious moon, the ocean's unceasing sigh—all fine, all beautiful, all seeming perfect—but all superficial or tempered with prosaic features which mar the picture.

Already during the present war an extensive literature has grown up on the subject of the bacteriology of septic wounds. It was thought that a detailed study of the coliform organisms met with in these wounds might yield results of interest, and be a useful addition to some of the more general bacteriological contributions.