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Bacteria in scarlatinal and normal throats
298
Pathogenic Micro-Organisms
[~b~o s~th
the distribution of the disease, he thought it was only indirectly; the diphtheria bacilli, in his opinion, were fostered on wet clayey soils for example, and it was only when an easterly wind came and dried the soil and distributed the bacilli that the outbreak occurred. DR. A.E. THOMASasked whether Dr. Buckley had done any inoculation experiments in order to test the vitality of the various bacilli used prior to making his experiments on their resistance to drying. The great number and great variety of these bacilli known even by the same name should certainly, in his opinion, lead first to what he might call a standardization of bacilli prior to experiments of this kind being carried out. Dr. Buckley's evidence was largely negative in its character, and did not altogether apply to conditions obtaining in practice. He had, for example, known cases where diphtheria bacilli had been retained for six months in the fauces. He would like to know whether Dr. Buckley had any experience as to the effect of metallic copper on the vitality of the various bacilli. I t was supposed by many that it had a distinct germicidal value. DR. BUCKLEY, in reply, stated that the long persistence of infection in many cases might possibly be due to the fact that a considerable amount of organic matter was mixed up with the bacilli being tested. He had used commercial spills for the pine wood experiments. In reply to Dr. Martin, he had not tested the e~ect of sunlight, because that would have been extending the enquiry in quite a diiterent direction, and he believed other observers had already worked at that subject. No inoculation experiments had been made, but the greatest care had been taken to obtain organisms for the experiments, and for the control taken from absolutely the same source, and of the same age.
BACTERIA IN SCARLATINAL AND NORMAL THROATS. the interest attaching to the rSle of the streptococcus I N inviewthe ofcausation of scarlet fever, the investigations of Ruediger
(Journal A.M.A., Oct. 13, 1906) are interesting. Ruediger examined 154 cases, 51 normal throats, 75 cases of scarlatina, 14 of measles, 5 of tonsillitis, 5 of pneumonia, and 4 pharyngitis. He found streptococcus pyogenes constantly in great, abundance on the tonsils of patients suffering from tonsillitis and scarlet fever before the inflammation of the throat has subsided. These organisms rapidly decrease in numbers with the subsidence of the throat symptoms. Streptococcus pyogenes cannot be considered a normal inhabitant of all healthy throats, although it was found in small numbers in 58 per cent of the normal throats in this series. Pneumococci of low virulence were found in 135 of this series of 154 throats. A large group of organisms which lies between the typical streptococcus pyogenes and pneumococcus was found in all normal throats, and in nearly all diseased throats. These organisms have very little virulence for rabbits, and as they are found in great abundance in practically all throats, they appear to be normal inhabitants of the throat. Streptococcus pyogenes from normal throats appears to have a slightly greater virulence for rabbits than these organisms from scarlatinal throats.
Pathogenic Micro-Organisms
[~b~o s~th
the distribution of the disease, he thought it was only indirectly; the diphtheria bacilli, in his opinion, were fostered on wet clayey soils for example, and it was only when an easterly wind came and dried the soil and distributed the bacilli that the outbreak occurred. DR. A.E. THOMASasked whether Dr. Buckley had done any inoculation experiments in order to test the vitality of the various bacilli used prior to making his experiments on their resistance to drying. The great number and great variety of these bacilli known even by the same name should certainly, in his opinion, lead first to what he might call a standardization of bacilli prior to experiments of this kind being carried out. Dr. Buckley's evidence was largely negative in its character, and did not altogether apply to conditions obtaining in practice. He had, for example, known cases where diphtheria bacilli had been retained for six months in the fauces. He would like to know whether Dr. Buckley had any experience as to the effect of metallic copper on the vitality of the various bacilli. I t was supposed by many that it had a distinct germicidal value. DR. BUCKLEY, in reply, stated that the long persistence of infection in many cases might possibly be due to the fact that a considerable amount of organic matter was mixed up with the bacilli being tested. He had used commercial spills for the pine wood experiments. In reply to Dr. Martin, he had not tested the e~ect of sunlight, because that would have been extending the enquiry in quite a diiterent direction, and he believed other observers had already worked at that subject. No inoculation experiments had been made, but the greatest care had been taken to obtain organisms for the experiments, and for the control taken from absolutely the same source, and of the same age.
BACTERIA IN SCARLATINAL AND NORMAL THROATS. the interest attaching to the rSle of the streptococcus I N inviewthe ofcausation of scarlet fever, the investigations of Ruediger
(Journal A.M.A., Oct. 13, 1906) are interesting. Ruediger examined 154 cases, 51 normal throats, 75 cases of scarlatina, 14 of measles, 5 of tonsillitis, 5 of pneumonia, and 4 pharyngitis. He found streptococcus pyogenes constantly in great, abundance on the tonsils of patients suffering from tonsillitis and scarlet fever before the inflammation of the throat has subsided. These organisms rapidly decrease in numbers with the subsidence of the throat symptoms. Streptococcus pyogenes cannot be considered a normal inhabitant of all healthy throats, although it was found in small numbers in 58 per cent of the normal throats in this series. Pneumococci of low virulence were found in 135 of this series of 154 throats. A large group of organisms which lies between the typical streptococcus pyogenes and pneumococcus was found in all normal throats, and in nearly all diseased throats. These organisms have very little virulence for rabbits, and as they are found in great abundance in practically all throats, they appear to be normal inhabitants of the throat. Streptococcus pyogenes from normal throats appears to have a slightly greater virulence for rabbits than these organisms from scarlatinal throats.