ABSTRACTS 589 



infections are due not to generalized infection or to a true toxin, but to 

 the toxic effect of the acid produced at the site of the localized lesion. 



J. G. H. 



Bacterial Cultures of Human Spleens Removed hy Surgical Operation. 

 Andrew W. Sellards. (Journal of Immunology, 1916, 1, 321.) 

 Eight spleens from cases of pernicious anemia, one showing simple 

 hypertrophy, and one from infantile primary splenomegaly, all re- 

 moved at operation, were the subject of this study. Aerobic and an- 

 aerobic cultures were made on various media including milk and glu- 

 cose ascitic agar. From four of the spleens micrococci, differing from 

 the ordinary pyogenic types but not further identified, were recovered. 

 From three of the spleens, small Gram positive pleomorphic bacilh 

 were recovered in the anaerobic milk tubes. These organisms cul- 

 turally and morphologically resembled a culture of the bacillus recov- 

 ered from typhus by Plotz. Complement fixation reactions were 

 carried out with extracts of these bacilli against the blood of rabbits 

 immunized to them. Cross fixation was obtained between the antigens 

 from the two spleen cultures tested, with the serum of the animal im- 

 munized to the Plotz bacillus, and an antigen prepared from the Plotz 

 bacillus gave fixation with the serum prepared by injection of the spleen 

 cultures. Out of eight human sera tested, one from a case of pernicious 

 anemia, and one from a case of cholangitis gave complete fixation with 

 spleen bacillus antigen and with Plotz bacillus antigen. Other sera 

 were negative. In fermentation tests, two of the spleen cultures dif- 

 fered from the bacillus of Plotz in fermenting mannite and in failing 

 to ferment inulin, and one differed only in the absence of inulin 

 fermentation. Sellards concludes that these organisms represent para- 

 sitic but non-pathogenic organisms found in the human body. — J. G. H. 



Bacteriological and Experimental Studies on Gastric Ulcer. H. L. Cel- 

 LER and W. Thalhimer. (Jour. Exp. Med., 1916, 23, 791-812.) 

 Eight chronic gastric ulcers and one ulcer occurring at the ostium of 

 a gastrojejunostomy were examined bacteriologically and histologi- 

 cally. From seven of these anhemolytic streptococci were isolated; 

 streptococci were seen in cultures of the eighth but could not be iso- 

 lated and from the ninth no streptococci were recovered. Yeasts were 

 recovered from four. Other organisms including staphylococci. Micro- 

 coccus tetragenus and B. subtilis were isolated. The streptococci iso- 

 lated were injected into rabbits and cats intravenously. Of thirty rab- 

 bits injected in the ear vein, four developed gastric lesions. Of eight 

 rabbits injected in a branch of the gastric artery six developed gastric 

 lesions. In two cats a branch of the gastric artery was injected with 

 streptococci. Both animals developed defects in the gastric mucosa, 

 which soon began to heal and were observed to have healed completely 

 in thirty-three days. In addition fourteen of the thirty rabbits devel- 

 oped cardiac lesions, while two of the eight in which a branch of the 

 gastric artery was injected developed minute hemorrhages in the endo- 



