702 ABSTRACTS 



through normal serum. Therefore, this method does not furnish con- 

 clusive evidence of poliomyelitis. Experiments with monkeys are 

 too complicated and too costly for ordinary diagnostic use. 



Examination of the spinal fluid offers the most trustworthy method 

 of diagnosis. A spinal fluid increased in amount and showing a slight 

 to moderate increase in albumin and globulin, a good reduction of Feh- 

 ling's, and a varying cellular increase, mostly mononuclear, makes the 

 diagnosis reasonably certain in fairly early cases of suspected polio- 

 myelitis. A slightly cloudy fluid occurring very early in the disease 

 must be differentiated from a similar fluid in an early purulent meningi- 

 tis. Fluids from the cerebral or encephalitic type of poliomyelitis 

 may sometimes be differentiated from fluids of tuberculous meningitis 

 only by animal inoculation. — M. W. C. 



Cultivation of the Organisms of Vaccinia, Variola, and Varicella. H. 



Greeley. Medical Record, 1916, 90, 265-271. 



A minute, bipolar bacillus has been found in all specimens of vac- 

 cinia virus, and varicella and variola pustules. The organism occurs 

 either in the form of a bacillus or in involution forms from which spore- 

 like bodies escape. The organisms of vaccinia, variola, and varicella 

 differ somewhat in size, but the general morphology is the same. 



Cultural experiments upon the bacillus of vaccinia virus indicate 

 growth upon hydrocele fluid, whether diluted in different proportions 

 with physiological salt, distilled water, or bouillon, or when used alone. 

 Media consisting of about 70 per cent hydrocele fluid and 30 per cent 

 bouillon, and containing a lime water equivalent of 10 per cent were 

 particularly suited to the growth of the organism. Fifty per cent 

 bouillon in distilled water, saturated with 10 to 100 per cent calcium 

 oxide was also a good medium. Both glycerin and glucose when 

 added to the cultures exerted an unfavorable influence. Slants of 

 Loeffler blood serum gave good growths when washed every day with 

 one or two drops of limed bouillon mixture. 



The virus of variola and also that of varicella grew under the same 

 conditions as those which were found to be most favorable for vaccinia. 



Agglutination tests showed specific results between variola sera and 

 variola organisms, between vaccinia sera and vaccinia organisms. 

 There was also agglutination between vaccinia sera and variola anti- 

 gen. Varicella antigen reacted irregularly with all sera except those 

 from varicella cases, with which it was uniformly negative. 



In complement fixation the results were specific with variola sera 

 and variola antigen, also with vaccinia sera and vaccinia antigen. 

 Two vaccinia sera gave slightly positive reactions with variola antigen, 

 but there was no cross reaction between variola sera and vaccinia 

 antigen. Sera from cases of varicella gave negative results with 

 varicella and variola antigens, but normal sera in almost every case 

 reacted positively with varicella antigen. — M. W. C. 



