270 LEPROSY 



confirmed the accuracy of Hansen's observations. The bacilli as 

 seen in scrapings of ulcerated leprous nodules, or in sections, 

 have the following characters. They are thin rods of practically 

 the same size as tubercle bacilli, which they also resemble both 

 in appearance and in staining reaction. They are straight or 

 slightly curved, and usually occur singly, or two may be attached 

 end to end ; but they do not form chains. When stained they 



fe- 



* 







***** 



* ^ 

 4 -. 



FIG. 92. Superficial part of leprous skin ; the cells of the granulation tissue 

 appear as dark patches, owing to the deeply-stained bacilli in their interior. 

 In the upper part a process of epithelium is seen. 



Paraffin section ; stained with carbol-fuchsin and Bismarck-brown, x 500. 



may have a uniform appearance, or the protoplasm may be 

 fragmented, so that they appear like short rows of cocci. They 

 often appear tapered at one or both extremities ; occasionally 

 there is slight club-like swelling. Degenerated and partially 

 broken down forms are also seen. They take up the basic 

 aniline stains more readily than tubercle bacilli, but in order 

 to stain them deeply a powerful stain, such as carbol-fuchsin, 

 is necessary. When stained, they strongly resist decolorising, 

 though they are more easily decolorised than tubercle bacilli. 

 The best method is to stain with carbol-fuchsin as for tubercle 



