( 909 ) 
of chickens are not the common intestine bacteria, but the air- 
bacteria, described above, which acetify rice. A series of experiments 
followed from which appeared 1st. that the obligate intestine bacteria 
do not acetify rice, 2"¢. that in the crop and intestines of chickens 
that died from Polyneuritis gallinarum the air-bacterium that acetifies 
rice can be shown; 3'¢. that in acute cases of Polyneuritis the air- 
bacterium can almost supersede the intestine-bacteria. 
Another working hypothesis followed. As, by feeding with rice 
Beri-beri presumptively results both in India and Europe') from 
poisons developing themselves during the digestion out of food, con- 
taining amylum (EYKMAN); as rice has a special affinity for the 
above-described acetifying air-bacilli, so much so, that they are even 
found in every dry grain: it may be admitted that these bacilli are 
the generators of Polyneuritis gallinarum not in the usual infectuous 
sense, but because they are pernicious to the body, when they turn 
the rice sour (in the intestines), either by the acid itself or by 
accessory products. If this supposition is correct, these bacilli must 
be harmless at subcutaneous injection, but they must cause Polyneuritis 
gallinarum when they are introduced into the intestines together with 
the food. 
It was soon shown that these bacilli, and even entire cultures 
together, injected into the breast-muscles and into the peritoneum do 
not cause Polyneuritis gallinarum’). The last and most important 
experiment remained. 
I communicated already above that my chickens fed with sterilized 
rice, show after 18—19 days the well known symptoms of Polyneuritis 
gallinarum; *) EykMAn who acted somewhat differently obtained the 
same result.*) If now the bacillus acetifying rice is the generator of the 
'!) A European Beriberi epidemy was the one in the RicHMonp-asylum at 
Dublin. [ do not know what food was taken there. 
*) Nobody will be astonished at the fact that chickens lose their appetite, if for 
days together 10- 12 platina loops of these bacteria are injected into their peri- 
toneum, even physiological salt-solution would make the» ill. But they are not 
attacked by Polyneuritis, and do not die. Afterwards I injected into the breast- 
musele which they could stand better. 
5) The first week they receive grains of rice which are strown into the chicken- 
house, soon they refuse this food, so that the 6th or 7tb day one must proceed 
lo compulsory feeding with sterilized rice-porridge. 
1) EyKMAN does not sterilize the rice, has the grains only grourd and mixed 
with water, consequently the chickens receive the bacteria living in the grains of 
rice into their crops, when these are slill alive. This is most likely the cause 
that EyKMAN often obtains stagnation of food in the crops by expansion and 
fermentation. | never had this result. Has the ground and moistened rice been kept 
a long lime, it might occasion sudden death, as EyKMAN often observed. 
