326 REPORT OF THE ‘COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
the blood and in other fluids, and invariably inthe exudations of thelungs; — 
and in the lymphatic glands in pulmonal ‘exudation and in blood serum 
this formation can be observed under the microscope if the object re-— 
mains unchanged for an hour or two. In the ulcerous tumors on the in- 
testinal mucous membrane but few of these clusters will be found, but 
the fally-developed bacilli, many of which appear very lively, are re 
exceedingly numerous. These tumors or morbid growths in the intes- 
tines seem to afford the most favorable conditions for the growth and 
development of the bacilii and their germs. The presence of such im- 
Iense numbers of these microphytes and their germs in the excrements 
and other morbid products of swine leads Dr. Detmers to regard them, 
beyond doubt, as the principal disseminators of the plague. Whether 
these colonies or viscous clusters are instrumental in bringing about the 
extensive embolism of the lungs and other tissues by merely closing the 
capillary vessels in a mechanical way, or whether the presence, growth, 
development, and propagation of the bacilli and their germs produce 
peculiar ch remical changes in the composition of the blood, thereby dis- — 
qualifying it from passing with facility through the capillaries, or which 
cause a clotting and retention of the same in the capillary system, Dr. 
Detmers is not able positively to decide. He isof the opinion, however, 
that these colonies or viscous clusters of bacillus germs and partially 
developed bacilli cause sufficient obstruction of the capillaries to pro- 
duce fatal embolism. 
The vitality of the bacilli and bacillus-germs is not very great, except 
where preserved in a substance or fluid not easily subject to deeomposi- 
tion; for instance, in water which contains a slight admixture of organic 
substances. Where contained in such a fluid and preserved in\a vial 
with a glass stopper, they will remain for at least five or six weeks in 
nearly the same condition, or develop very slowly, according to the 
amount of oxygen and degree of temperature maintained. In an open 
vessel the development is a more rapid one. If oxygen is excluded, or 
the amount available is exhausted, no further change takes place. In a 
the water of streamlets, brooks, ditches, ponds, &c., their vitality is re- E 
tained or preserved for | some time. In fluids and substances subject to 
putrefaction, they lose their vitality and are destr oyed in a comparatively ae 
brief period; at least they disappear as soon as those fluids and sub- 
stances undergo decomposition. In the blood they disappear as soon 
as the blood-corpuscles commence to decompose or putrefy. They are 
also destroyed if brought in contact with or acted upon by alcohol, ear- 
bolic acid, thymol, iodine, &e. The destruction of these germs by de- 
composi ition would seem to account for the harmless nature of thoroughly 
putrid products when consumed by healthy animals. (See drawings, 
bacilli and bacillus-germs.) 
Dr. Law also discovered bacteria in the blood of pigs suffering with ” 
the disease, and in one case, on the second day before death, he found the . 
blood swarming with them, all showing very active movements. (See + 
drawings, Plate xiii, Fig. 3.) The blood from another pig, which had 
been inoculated from this one, Showed the same living, actively- -moving 
germs in equal quantity. They were further found in the blood of 2 
rabbit and of a sheep inoculated from the first-mentioned pig. In an 
abscess of a puppy, which had also been inoculated, the germs were 
abundant. In the examination of blood from healthy pigs the micro- 
scope failed to reveal the presence of these organisms. Dr. Law states \ 
that in his experiments the greatest precautions were taken to avoid " 
the introduction of extraneous germs. The caustic potash employed was 
first fused, then placed with reboiled distilled water in a stoppered bot- % 
