1919] VKTiatilNTAKY MEDUUNIC, 877 



tetanus; and the results oblauied in an examination of human feces to 

 determine the prevalence of the various types of ]i. icUini in tlie human 

 intestine. 



From 20 per cent of wounds of men who showed no evidence of tetanus, B. 

 tetani could be i-ecovered at some period duriuy the process of repair. Evidence 

 was given which indicated that the serum prophylaxis in use until recently 

 afforded more protection against Type I infections than it did against infec- 

 tions due to Type II or III. The experiments in vitro led to the conclusion 

 that in whole cultures of B. tetani three antigens at least appear to exist: (1) 

 The bacillary substance itself, the inoculation of which leads to the develop- 

 ment of agglutinins which are specific to the types; (2) an antiphagocytic 

 antigen which is present in young unfiltered cultures, but if present at all is 

 found only in small quantity in filtrates and which evokes the development of 

 "opsonins" which are specific to the types; and (3) a spasm-producing toxin, 

 an antigen which is filterable and v/hich in laboratory animals, at least, does 

 not appear to be specific to the types. " These findings suggest that improve- 

 ment might be looked for in serum prophylaxis and serum therapeutics from the 

 employment of sera possessing antibacterial as well as antitoxic properties." 



The experiments in vivo led to the following conclusions: 



The toxin of B. welchii and to a less extent that of Vihrion septique when 

 used in sublethal doses produce sufficient devitalization of tissue to allow of 

 the development of tetanus infection. Antitoxins to the products of these 

 organisms protect animals against infection with B. tetani when such products 

 are used as tissue debilitants. 



The protection afforded by tetanus antitoxin can only be partial. The 

 nature of the substance used to produce devitalization of tissues exerts a pro- 

 found influence upon the development of tetanus spores in tlie tissues. Cer- 

 tain other relationships, the nature of which is at present not determined, 

 appear to depress the infectivity or toxogenicity of certain strains of B. 

 tetani. The exiieriments suggest, but do not prove, that v/hile monovalent 

 antitoxic sera exert no specific neutralizing influence on the spasm-producing 

 toxin of any one type of tetanus they may exert a specific anti-infective influ- 

 ence. Equivocal results were obtained in the investigation of the relative 

 value of antitoxic and antibacterial sera. 



The antiseptic dressings examined were found to exert but little influence 

 upon the anaerobic flora of wounds, but excision of the wound area, irrespective 

 of the dressings employed in the treatment, exerted a beneficient influence. 



It was found impossible to use the agglutination test as an aid to the diag- 

 nosis of tetanus, and no relationship was found to exist between the serological 

 type of B. tetanus and the hemagglutinating type of the individual from whom 

 it was isolated. 



The growth of Bacillus tetani irt the presence of tuberculin, F. Marino 

 iConrpt. Rend. Soc. Biol. [Paris], S2 {1919), No. 22, pp. 821-824, 831, 8S2).— 

 Three papers are presented. 



I. Method for the determination of tuberculin (pp. 821, 822). — A method for 

 the quantitative determination of tuberculin is described which depends upon 

 the fact that B. tetani is very sensitive to tuberculin. The details of the process 

 are as follows : 



The culture to be tested is filtered, 10 cc. of the filtrate is inoculated with 

 B. tetani, and the air in the tube exhausted. If the tetanus bacillus does not 

 grow, the filtrate contains at least 1 mg. of tuberculin per cubic centimeter of 

 the liquid. Under these conditions the exact strength of the tuberculin can be 

 determined by putting in 10 test tubes gradually increasing amounts of from 

 1 to 10 cc. of the filtrate, making up the volume to 10 cc. with ordinary bouillon, 



