100 BACTERIOLOGY OF THE SALIVA. 



These results suggested a direct bacteriological examination of the saliva 

 of the Heloderma suspectum from which the venom had been obtained. The 

 saliva collected in a sterile pipette from the mouth of the animal was plated, 

 and the isolated colonies studied. Besides many other micro-organisms, B. coli 

 communis was found to be abundantly present in the saliva. 



The fact that such a virulent strain of B. coli communis, able to produce 

 death in so short a time as 3 hours after the injection, was found in the saliva, 

 seems to me to be worthy of special consideration, not merely as a contribution 

 to the virulency of B. coli communis, but more especially as indicating a possible 

 source of error in the study of the fresh venom of poisonous reptiles. 



In our investigations, besides B. coli, B. pyocyaneus, and other pathogenic 

 and pyogenic bacteria were found, but attention was given to B. coli only, 

 because in this case this organism was found to be more virulent than the 

 others with which it was associated in the saliva. 



In a further series, the frequency of the presence of B. coli in the saliva of 

 this reptile was investigated. The saliva of ten individuals of this species was 

 examined, in five of which B. coli was isolated after a single examination, and it 

 is probable that on repeating the examination of the negative cases, this organ- 

 ism (B. coli communis) would have been found in most, if not in all, of the ten 

 helodermas. 



