2nd Nov. is not a far ery from facts like these to the belief that many of our actions now attributed to free will should with more scientific precision be laid at the door of a bacillus, a micrococcus, a bacterium, a vibrio, or some' other of the many kinds of microbic nature, which either benigner harmful, are ubiquitous. -As will be seen the effect of the researches we have lately been making is to strongly support this view.
Tt is well-known, for instance, that at the commencement of the hot season in the Far East, a number of people composed mainly of the well-to-do, the lazy, and the missionaries are seized with an uncontrollable desire to wander. Their homes are too hot to hold them, and go they must, of course to some cooler place. This in the case of the reverend contingent is frequently the excuse for much cheap sarcasm, venerable for its age, but otherwise of no scientific value. The fact is that all these people are acting under the influence of a newly-discovered microbe which as a rule affects only the classes named. The poor, the hard-working, and laymen generally appear to be imjune. We have searched in vain for a prior description of this interesting organism, and finding none we have designated it Bacillus Stragulus not, as a medical student might irreverently suggest, because it makes people "straggle," but because it marks the characteristic feature of the disease, an intense desire for unseasonable bed-covering! Bacillus Stragulus is literally the blanket bacillus. There have been many of its victims in Japan, at Kuling, Chefoo, and other places this season.
Our second discovery is due toa close examination of the political atmosphere in Peking. All the world, our readers in particular, must have been struck with the unwonted character of the late diplomatic season.
Lirrte by little our Seaseption of The extreme sensitiveness which the Nature is changing as a result of the various. Ministers have exhibited for ever more careful examination of the the rights of other nations, the ultra-walls of partition between the organic suave manner in which they have and the inorganic world. here treated the native authorities and formerly everybody was ready to tried to acquire the "goodwill" of believe in creation, spontaneous gen-their country, the complaisance with eration, abiogenesis, or whatever other which each Minister has welcomed fancy name he chose to represent'the concessions to the other, all these same fact, everybody now is frankly pointed to some common origin. We sceptical or openly convinced that old are glad to be able to announce to a positions are untenable. Omne viwondering world the sole cause—yuin ec ove is not a new saying, but another new microbe, which in honour it is a new belief. Thanks to the of the distinguished diplomat most researches of bacteriologists the action strongly affected by it we have of living matter, nay, even its very named the Vibrio Pavloff. One only composition, is now known to be doubt exists in our minds as to intimately affected, swayed, and not the: suitability of this nomenclature. infrequently destroyed by other living Tt is contrary to the usual nature matter, infinitely small as to size but of a vibrio to raise a ferment. But infinitely great in results. A charac-possibly the "heated atmosphere" teristic of Kitasato's plague bacillus, may have accounted for this irre-for example, is that before killing its gularity. Distinct from the above, victim it affects his mind somewhat and sufficiently akin to another well-and makes him wander, much as the known microbe to bear the same germ of rabies does the mad dog. It{ name, is the "Earth bacillus." This year Russia has been the chief sufferer from it, but Germany shows evident' signs of the preliminary fever, and France is by no means convalescent. Even the United States has become affected. There is no known cure for this but large doses of "villainous saltpetre" administered 4 lu the late Professor Moltke. As a victim who has suffered, John Bull seems curiously willing that others should share the complain, stipulating only that after the microbe has entered, the door should be left open! Experience, however, has shown that the effect of this particular bacillus upon Gaul and Muscovite is similar to that of tetanus upon mankind in general, the only difference being that the one ends in barred doors and the other in lock-jaw.
It is, however, in strictly local researches that we have met with the most promising results. Not only has new microbic life revealed itself to us, but we have met with most interesting variants. In the learned papers which Dr. Macleod wrote some years ago on the cholera germs of the lower Yangtze Valley there isno mention of the two varieties which we have lately discovered. The "Comma" bacillus is usually a venomous little beast which kills at first sight. But his namesake seems to affect the Press only. Compositors, proof-readers, and perhaps writers ate his prey. It is said that desiccation is certain death to all forms of "comma" microbes, from which we are led to infer that the persons above named never allow themselves to become sufficiently dry to ensure destruction.
The other variant is the Spirillwm Collarx (sic) Asiaticiv, a most dangerous little pest. Noone seems to suffer much from it, however, except the Sikhs at street corners and the other unfortunate Asiatics who are collared Then there is the Photo-bacteriwm-Wingrovii, one of those curious productions of Nature which bear a characteristic odour and sometimes emit light. During the present year if has been more widely spread than ever, and at its best could easily be made outinadark room. Photometers show that its radiance then lies midway between that of phosphorescence and the well-known candle-shaped bacillus "Farthing-dipus." Closely allied to the Photo-bacterium-Wingrovii is a microbe of German discovery—the Gasbildender Bacillus. This in the Fatherland is of the usual microscopic dimensions, but when fully tended and watered, grows be-imported into Shanghai, and care-
yond all precedent. It delights in congregating in the clock-work machinery of an ordinary meter which its by-products lubricate to an extraordinary degree!
Another of oar original discoveries is a micrococcus upon which as upon the "comma" aforesaid, desiccation
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.