82 ILLINOIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



ual tuberculous lesion at the apex^^ clinical and roentgen 

 findings harmonized in 90 per cent of the cases. The 

 roentgen ray always revealed more extensive lesions than 

 would have been surmised otherwise. 4^2 per cent were 

 not diagnosed clinicall57- but ivere diagnosed with the X- 

 ray. 



The X-ray does not differentiate an active lesion from 

 an inactive. 



Fourth, the use of the complement fixation test for the 

 diagnosis of tuberculosis was tried on a series of cases, 

 with the result that it was only positive in cases of tuber- 

 culosis. It was not positive in all cases of active tuber- 

 culosis. It was negative in all normal individuals.^^ 



StoU summarized a number of cases in this connection 

 as follows: Forty robust men gave negative fixation 

 tests. Of 161 of all kinds of cases, 45 were positive. In 

 our work we found that a higher percentage of positives 

 was observed when the anti-sheep haemolytic system was 

 used instead of the anti-human. 



Fifth, the determination of active tuberculosis ap- 

 peared to rest finally upon the question of the presence 

 or absence of moisture in the alveoli in the suspected 

 tuberculous area. When at the end of expiration the 

 separating of the moist walls of the tiny alveoli with 

 the resulting rale was heard upon auscultation, the case 

 was assumed to be one of active tuberculosis.^^ 



EPIDEMIOLOGY 



A study of the tubercle bacillus outside of the body 

 has led us to believe that an organism in the bright sun- 

 shine retained its ability to multiply for a minimum 

 period of about six minutes. As the sunshine and light 

 are decreased and conditions of moisture are preserved, 

 it is supposed that the organism will live for days, weeks, 

 or possibly months. Thus its presence in old houses, on 



15 A Thousand Cases of Tuberculous Suspects, reviewed by C. Roubier, 

 Progres Medical, Paris, June 14, 1919. 



IS The Complement Fixation Test in the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis, 

 Henry F. Stoll, J. A. M. A., April 12. 1919. 



"Francis Trudeau in A. M. A. September 7, 1918. 



Physical Examination in the Diagnosis of Early Pulmonary Tuber- 

 culosis, by Louis V. Hamman. 



