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SYMBIOSIS AMONG ORCHIDS.
994 head-first
Dr. Precechtel
remarkable since this fungus is known all the world over as a destructive parasite which often settles in large masses upon tree stumps ; it would little if at all higher than that of the breech, while appear that in attacking the thickened underground foetuses experimentally floated in an artificial amniotic root of this orchid it becomes worsted in the struggle, fluid were found to lower the pelvic pole. He and is made to yield to the orchid some of the food criticises the so-called " accommodation " theories, stolen from the neighbouring trees. These observaby which the foetus adapts itself to the shape of the tions appear to give the clue to the origin of micorrhiza, uterus, or, by pressure of the active lower limbs against since it is suggested that the higher plants may have the unyielding pelvis, tends to turn the caudal pole developed an immunity against fungi originally upwards, and quotes the observation of Warnekros, parasitic upon their roots, and that they have obtained who studied by skiagraphy the position of twins in a control over them and actually derive benefit from case of hydramnios and found that they kept a headthem. According to Bernard the entry of a single downward position in all postures of the mother. filament into an orchid seed excludes all others, even He supports his thesis by the observation that the though it be an attenuated form incapable of effecting otolith reflexes were obtainable in a large proportion of germination ; for this reason he concluded that the new-born infants, and by the significant fact that the first infection immunises the seed and prevents further vestibular branch of the eighth nerve myelinizes at infection, a process which he compared with vaccinathe end of the fourth month, and considerably tion. The significance of these discoveries with earlier than the cochlear branch or than the other regard to orchid micorrhiza have been fully appreciated sensory nerves. He has tried in vain to find corro- by commercial orchid growers, and in this country boration by questioning the parents of congenital deaf- more particularly the growing of orchid seedlings under mutes as to abnormal presentations, but explains the I aseptic conditions has been brought to a high state of lack of such abnormality by the fact that congenital perfection by Ramsbottom and Charlesworth. defects of the vestibule are far rarer than those of the cochlea. It is an interesting speculation, but one very difficult of complete proof. INTRAPERITONEAL INJECTION OF ANTITOXIN IN DIPHTHERIA. SYMBIOSIS AMONG ORCHIDS. WE recently drew attention to a method of adminA REMARKABLE instance of symbiosis betweenI istration of antitoxin in diphtheria recommended by flowering plants and fungi is afforded by the association MM. Benhamou, Camatte, and Flogny,l of Algiers, between orchids and their micorrhizal fungus, and was which consisted in its injection by the intraspinal dealt with by Mr. Somerville Hastings in his inaugural route. Dr. E. S. Platou,of the Willard Parker address at the recent sessional opening of the Middlesex Hospital and Research Laboratory, New York City Hospital. This important work, necessarily abridged Department of Health, now advocates the intrain our own columns, may now be read at length in the peritoneal route which is commonly employed for current issue of the Middlesex Hospital Journal. the injection of saline solution in infants. The new With one doubtful exception every orchid so far method was chosen owing to the absorptive power examined is known to be infested with at least one of the peritoneum which had been demonstrated by fungus. The importance of the fungus to the host many observers. The technique employed was as plant is shown by the fact that orchid seeds removed follows : The patient was placed in the recumbent from the pod under aseptic conditions and sown on position with the arms and legs confined by a restrainsterilised soil are unable to germinate, and, at most, ing jacket. The most suitable site is the linea alba swell up and turn green and then die. If, however, below the umbilicus. The skin is prepared with the seed is planted upon soil in which the parent plant iodine and alcohol, and the area may be rendered was growing, and which consequently contains the by ethyl chloride. The antitoxin in fungus, germination results and a normal seedling is doses of 10-14,000 units, with 8-10 c.cm. of saline, produced. With the entry of a single filament of the is introduced by gravity from an infusion bottle. fungus into an orchid seed rapid cell divison ensues, The skin and subcutaneous tissues are picked upand the filament gradually advances into the seed between the thumb and index finger and the needle passing from cell to cell ; it is, however, not permitted is inserted obliquely, pointing upwards. After the to penetrate too far, the seedling being apparently antitoxin has penetrated the peritoneum it is allowed able to exclude its entry into the stem and root. The to flow into the peritoneal cavity. Dr. Platou has young root thus enters the soil free from fungus, and used the intraperitoneal method in a group of 12 only becomes infected subsequently by the penetration severe cases, aged from 5 months to 14 years, in into it from the soil of a new filament. Throughout whom it was impossible to administer antitoxin the life of the orchid the fungus is restricted to the intravenously. Ten recovered without complicaregion of the root, only one case being known, that of tions, and two who were almost moribund on admisthe Bird’s Nest Orchid (Neottia), in which the fungal sion died, death being due in one case to laryngeal hyphae are allowed to penetrate all through the plant. diphtheria and extensive broncho-pneumonia, and The orchids thus infested with micorrhiza derive in the other to septic diphtheria and hsemorrhagic nourishment therefrom, being able to digest the coils myocarditis. In both the peritoneum was free of fungus within their cells. The fungus was first from any pathological condition. In none of the isolated and cultivated outside the plant by Noel 12 cases was there any evidence of local discomfort Bernard in France, and named by him Rhizoctonia from the injection. One patient presented slight from its close resemblance to Rhizoctonia violacea, urticaria on the seventh day, but none had any which produces a form of potato disease. The constitutional symptoms. Estimation of the comJapanese orchid (Gastrodia) produces tubers buried parative absorption of antitoxin by the intramuscular under ground and resembling those of the potato ; and intraperitoneal methods showed that within an every year the tubers give off offsets, just as a potato hour of intraperitoneal injection the blood was does, without, however, producing leaves or flowers ; appreciably antitoxic, and up to seven hours the in succeeding years these offsets become progressively absorption was about five times that found after smaller until finally they become incapable of further intramuscular injection. The peak of absorption for growth. If, however, the tubers come in contact with the intraperitoneal method was about 36 hours, fungus threads of the well-known " stump tuft " whereas for the intramuscular method it was sometoad-stool (Armellaria mellea) full grown offsets are where between 48 and 72 hours. Dr. Platou regards produced, which next year develop flowers and the method as particularly applicable in advanced presumably seeds. The beneficial effect of the cases where suitable veins are lacking for intrainfection of this orchid by the stump tuft fungus is the occur
as
a
presentation.
more
argues that gravity will not explain this position, for the specific gravity of the foetal head is found to be
I
just
anaesthetic
1
1
THE LANCET, Oct. 6th, p. 775.
THE
LANCET, June 16th, 1923, p. 1224.
2 Archives of Pediatrics, September, 1923.
Dr. Precechtel
remarkable since this fungus is known all the world over as a destructive parasite which often settles in large masses upon tree stumps ; it would little if at all higher than that of the breech, while appear that in attacking the thickened underground foetuses experimentally floated in an artificial amniotic root of this orchid it becomes worsted in the struggle, fluid were found to lower the pelvic pole. He and is made to yield to the orchid some of the food criticises the so-called " accommodation " theories, stolen from the neighbouring trees. These observaby which the foetus adapts itself to the shape of the tions appear to give the clue to the origin of micorrhiza, uterus, or, by pressure of the active lower limbs against since it is suggested that the higher plants may have the unyielding pelvis, tends to turn the caudal pole developed an immunity against fungi originally upwards, and quotes the observation of Warnekros, parasitic upon their roots, and that they have obtained who studied by skiagraphy the position of twins in a control over them and actually derive benefit from case of hydramnios and found that they kept a headthem. According to Bernard the entry of a single downward position in all postures of the mother. filament into an orchid seed excludes all others, even He supports his thesis by the observation that the though it be an attenuated form incapable of effecting otolith reflexes were obtainable in a large proportion of germination ; for this reason he concluded that the new-born infants, and by the significant fact that the first infection immunises the seed and prevents further vestibular branch of the eighth nerve myelinizes at infection, a process which he compared with vaccinathe end of the fourth month, and considerably tion. The significance of these discoveries with earlier than the cochlear branch or than the other regard to orchid micorrhiza have been fully appreciated sensory nerves. He has tried in vain to find corro- by commercial orchid growers, and in this country boration by questioning the parents of congenital deaf- more particularly the growing of orchid seedlings under mutes as to abnormal presentations, but explains the I aseptic conditions has been brought to a high state of lack of such abnormality by the fact that congenital perfection by Ramsbottom and Charlesworth. defects of the vestibule are far rarer than those of the cochlea. It is an interesting speculation, but one very difficult of complete proof. INTRAPERITONEAL INJECTION OF ANTITOXIN IN DIPHTHERIA. SYMBIOSIS AMONG ORCHIDS. WE recently drew attention to a method of adminA REMARKABLE instance of symbiosis betweenI istration of antitoxin in diphtheria recommended by flowering plants and fungi is afforded by the association MM. Benhamou, Camatte, and Flogny,l of Algiers, between orchids and their micorrhizal fungus, and was which consisted in its injection by the intraspinal dealt with by Mr. Somerville Hastings in his inaugural route. Dr. E. S. Platou,of the Willard Parker address at the recent sessional opening of the Middlesex Hospital and Research Laboratory, New York City Hospital. This important work, necessarily abridged Department of Health, now advocates the intrain our own columns, may now be read at length in the peritoneal route which is commonly employed for current issue of the Middlesex Hospital Journal. the injection of saline solution in infants. The new With one doubtful exception every orchid so far method was chosen owing to the absorptive power examined is known to be infested with at least one of the peritoneum which had been demonstrated by fungus. The importance of the fungus to the host many observers. The technique employed was as plant is shown by the fact that orchid seeds removed follows : The patient was placed in the recumbent from the pod under aseptic conditions and sown on position with the arms and legs confined by a restrainsterilised soil are unable to germinate, and, at most, ing jacket. The most suitable site is the linea alba swell up and turn green and then die. If, however, below the umbilicus. The skin is prepared with the seed is planted upon soil in which the parent plant iodine and alcohol, and the area may be rendered was growing, and which consequently contains the by ethyl chloride. The antitoxin in fungus, germination results and a normal seedling is doses of 10-14,000 units, with 8-10 c.cm. of saline, produced. With the entry of a single filament of the is introduced by gravity from an infusion bottle. fungus into an orchid seed rapid cell divison ensues, The skin and subcutaneous tissues are picked upand the filament gradually advances into the seed between the thumb and index finger and the needle passing from cell to cell ; it is, however, not permitted is inserted obliquely, pointing upwards. After the to penetrate too far, the seedling being apparently antitoxin has penetrated the peritoneum it is allowed able to exclude its entry into the stem and root. The to flow into the peritoneal cavity. Dr. Platou has young root thus enters the soil free from fungus, and used the intraperitoneal method in a group of 12 only becomes infected subsequently by the penetration severe cases, aged from 5 months to 14 years, in into it from the soil of a new filament. Throughout whom it was impossible to administer antitoxin the life of the orchid the fungus is restricted to the intravenously. Ten recovered without complicaregion of the root, only one case being known, that of tions, and two who were almost moribund on admisthe Bird’s Nest Orchid (Neottia), in which the fungal sion died, death being due in one case to laryngeal hyphae are allowed to penetrate all through the plant. diphtheria and extensive broncho-pneumonia, and The orchids thus infested with micorrhiza derive in the other to septic diphtheria and hsemorrhagic nourishment therefrom, being able to digest the coils myocarditis. In both the peritoneum was free of fungus within their cells. The fungus was first from any pathological condition. In none of the isolated and cultivated outside the plant by Noel 12 cases was there any evidence of local discomfort Bernard in France, and named by him Rhizoctonia from the injection. One patient presented slight from its close resemblance to Rhizoctonia violacea, urticaria on the seventh day, but none had any which produces a form of potato disease. The constitutional symptoms. Estimation of the comJapanese orchid (Gastrodia) produces tubers buried parative absorption of antitoxin by the intramuscular under ground and resembling those of the potato ; and intraperitoneal methods showed that within an every year the tubers give off offsets, just as a potato hour of intraperitoneal injection the blood was does, without, however, producing leaves or flowers ; appreciably antitoxic, and up to seven hours the in succeeding years these offsets become progressively absorption was about five times that found after smaller until finally they become incapable of further intramuscular injection. The peak of absorption for growth. If, however, the tubers come in contact with the intraperitoneal method was about 36 hours, fungus threads of the well-known " stump tuft " whereas for the intramuscular method it was sometoad-stool (Armellaria mellea) full grown offsets are where between 48 and 72 hours. Dr. Platou regards produced, which next year develop flowers and the method as particularly applicable in advanced presumably seeds. The beneficial effect of the cases where suitable veins are lacking for intrainfection of this orchid by the stump tuft fungus is the occur
as
a
presentation.
more
argues that gravity will not explain this position, for the specific gravity of the foetal head is found to be
I
just
anaesthetic
1
1
THE LANCET, Oct. 6th, p. 775.
THE
LANCET, June 16th, 1923, p. 1224.
2 Archives of Pediatrics, September, 1923.