580 The Finkler and Prior Spirillum 



results from the injection of blood-serum from convalescent patients 

 into the diseased. One recovery out of three cases treated is 

 recorded. 



In all these preliminaries the foreshadowing of a future thera- 

 peusis must be evident, but as yet nothing satisfactory has been 

 achieved. 



One of the chief errors made in the experimental preparation of 

 anticholera serums is that efforts have been directed toward endow- 

 ing the blood with the power of resisting and destroying the bacteria 

 that rarely, if ever, reach it. The two essentials to be aimed at are 

 an antitoxin to neutralize the depressing effects of the toxalbumin, 

 and some means of destroying the bacteria in the intestine. 



Sanitation.- The first appearance of cholera may depend upon the 

 introduction of the micro-organisms upon fomites, hence to avoid 

 epidemics it is necessary to disinfect all such coming from cholera- 

 infected localities. 



So soon as cholera asserts itself, the chief danger lies in the probable 

 contamination of the water-supply. To prevent this the utmost 

 effort must be made to locate all cases and see that the dejecta are 

 thoroughly disinfected, and as the micro-organisms persist in the 

 intestinal discharges for some weeks after convalescence, the patients 

 should not too soon be discharged from the hospital, but should 

 be retained until a bacteriologic examination shows no more comma 

 bacilli in the f eces. During an epidemic the water consumed should 

 all be boiled, raw milk should be avoided, and no green or uncooked 

 vegetables or fruits eaten. Foods should be carefully defended from 

 flies, which may carry the organisms to them and infect them. 

 The intestinal evacuations and all the clothing, bedding, and other 

 articles used by the patients should be carefully disinfected. 



SPIRILLA RESEMBLING THE CHOLERA SPIRILLUM 

 THE FINKLER AND PRIOR SPIRILLUM (SPIRILLUM PROTEUS) 



Similar in morphology to the spirillum of cholera, and in other respects closely 

 related to it, is the spirillum obtained from the f eces of a case of cholera nostras 

 by Finkler and Prior.* 



Morphology. It is shorter and stouter, with a more pronounced curve than 

 the cholera spirillum, and rarely forms long spirals. The central portion is also 

 somewhat thinner than the ends, which are a little pointed and give the organism 

 a less uniform appearance. Involution forms are common in cultures, and appear 

 as spheres, spindles, clubs, etc. Like the cholera spirillum, each organism is 

 provided with a single flagellum situated at its end, and is actively motile. 



Staining. The organism stains readily with the ordinary solutions, but not by 

 Gram's method. 



Cultivation. Colonies. The growth upon gelatin plates is rapid, and leads to 

 such extensive liquefaction that four or five dilutions must frequently be made to 

 secure few enough organisms to enable one to observe the growth of a single 



* "-Centralbl. fur allg. Gesundheitspflege," Bonn, 1885, Bd. i; "Deutsche 

 med. Wochenschrift," 1884, p. 632. 



