ABSTRACTS 585 



Elective Localization in the Bronchial Musculature of Streptococci from 



the Sputum of Cases of Bronchial Asthma. S. Oftedal. (Jour. A. 



M. A., 1916, 66, 1693-1694.) 



Cultures from the sputum of asthmatic patients injected intrave- 

 nously into rabbits caused marked interference with the respiration. 

 The respiration was reduced in rate and labored. Microscopic exami- 

 nation of the lungs showed marked distention of the alveoli with fre- 

 quent rupture of the alveolar walls. The blood vessels were engorged. 

 The bronchioles were contracted. Hemorrhage and mud cell infiltra- 

 tion were present. Streptococci were found in the musculature. 



Tissue cultures of the lungs yielded pure cultures of streptococci. 

 The author considers this an example of the elective locahzation of 

 streptococci. — G. H. S. 



An Epidemic of Appendicitis and Parotitis Probably Due to Streptococci 

 Contained in Dairy Products. E. C. Rosenow and S. I. Dunlap. 

 (Jour. Infect. Diseases, 1916, 18, 383-390.) 



The authors studied an outbreak occurring in a military academy in 

 which fifteen cases of appendicitis and thirty-four cases of parotitis 

 arose between February and the following May. From the appendix 

 and tonsils of the patients streptococci were isolated that were patho- 

 genic for rabbits, reproducing lesions in the appendix. Strains iso- 

 lated from dairy products at the time of the epidemic produced similar 

 lesions in rabbits. The authors conclude that the epidemic was caused 

 by infected dairy products. — P. B. H. 



The Tuberculocidal Action of Arsenic Compounds and Their Distribu- 

 tion in the Tuberculous Organism. A. Arkin and H. J. Cooper. 

 (Jour. Infectious Diseases, 1916, 18, 335-348.) 

 The authors studied the effect of arsenic upon the tubercle bacillus 

 and its distribution in the body. They report that (1) Sodium arse- 

 nite in dilutions from 0.1 to 0.0001 per cent and sodium cacodylate in 

 dilutions of from 2.0 to 0.002 per cent had no germicidal action in 

 twenty-four hours at 37°C., although mercury cacodylate showed ger- 

 micidal power. (2) Atoxyl, arsacetin and neosalvarsan in dilutions of 

 1.0 to 0.001 per cent showed no germicidal power. (3) These com- 

 pounds were found in the liver, lungs, kidneys, blood, spleen and in 

 the tuberculous tissues (lymph glands and eye). No evidence of ac- 

 cumulation in the tissues was obtained. — P. B. H. 



Syphilis in Epilepsy. W. T. Shanahan, J. F. Munson, and A. L. 



Shaw. (New York Med. Jour., 1916, 103, 820-824.) 



While syphilis may be considered one of the many agencies produc- 

 ing epilepsy, there is no special type of syphilitic epilepsy. 



The percentage of syphilis in epileptic patients is approximately the 

 same as the percentage in the general population. 



Treatment of syphilis in epilepsy does not usually result in improve- 

 ment, probably because permanent injury has been done to the tissues 

 long before the beginning of treatment. — M. W. C. 



