68 BACTERIA IN THE SPUTA 



§ 4.— Observations on the morphology and biology of Leptothrix 

 buccalis — The four phases of Leptothrix^ particularly the fruc- 

 tification by spores — Production by /^/;^/^ (male organs, ?) 

 — Fructification of spores reproduced in the sputa — Dissemi- 

 nation of microbes in the posterior organs. 



Recapitulation. — Bibliography. 



§ I. 



FURTHER REMARKS ON THE BACTERIA AND BACILLI 



FOUND IN THE SPUTA AND IN THE CONTENTS 



OF THE MOUTH. 



AT the meeting of 25th November, 1888, I had the honour of 

 presenting to this illustrious Academy a memoir on the 

 sputa of Pertussis, in which I incidentally touched upon 

 sputa of another character. 



It is not my intention to re-open all the questions before treated, 

 but simply to refer to the bacteriological aspects. The recent 

 observations refer to all bacteria and bacilli found in normal sputa 

 as well as in those of various morbid conditions, the so-called 

 tubercular bacilli not excluded, it being understood that the 

 many special questions belonging to the latter bacilli will be 

 fully considered later on. 



Confining my remarks to the bacteriological researches in 

 sputa, I will briefly repeat the conclusions I came to in the 

 preceding memoir : — " The bacteria generally found in the sputa, 

 and particularly in those of Pertussis, or Whooping-Cough, are 

 derived, in all probability, from germs originating in the mouth 

 and nose, so that (and until irrefutable proof to the contrary) their 

 presence is to be taken as a natural fact, which has nothing to do 

 with the cause of the disease. Such bacteria, although of very 

 varied forms, can be reduced to two sole types, representing as many 

 phases or forms of transition. One group may be identified with 

 Bacteriwn termo and the other with Leptothrix; and probably even 

 these two groups belong to a single species." 



And elsewhere : — " In summing up the feature of the different 

 types, we may conclude that the many forms of Bacteria delineated 



