GONOCOCCUS 175 



result from its use in cases of arthritis; in acute gonorrhea it has 

 no effect whatever. 



Vaccines. Vaccines have been employed with good results 

 in joint inflammations and chronic lesions of the urethra and 

 bladder. They are more effective when prepared with the organ- 

 isms infecting the patient to be treated. Experiments have shown 

 that at : least ten different strains of gonococci exist. Hence a 

 polyvalent vaccine in which each type is represented is advisable 

 if an autogenous vaccine is not employed. The dose is from 25 

 to 500 millions, increasing to 1 billion every three to seven 

 days. 



Other Pathogenic Micrococci Resembling the Meningococcus 

 and Gonococcus. Micrococcus catarrhalis. The organisms usually 

 occur in pairs, resemble the meningococcus in form, and are nega- 

 tive to Gram's stain. On nutrient agar they will develop between 

 20 and 40 C. and appear as small yellowish white colonies ; on 

 serum agar their growth is much more luxuriant. They are often 

 found on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and not 

 infrequently excite a catarrhal inflammation. 



Micrococcus Melitensis. In 1887 Bruce discovered the 

 organism in a case of Malta fever. It was formerly thought 

 that the disease was confined to the shores of the Mediterranean 

 and its islands. Cases have occurred, however, in India, China, 

 South Africa, and some parts of North and South America. The 

 organism is a slightly oval coccus occurring singly or in pairs, 

 non-motile and negative to Gram's stain. Its growth is slow. 

 Colonies on agar are not visible until the third day, when they 

 appear as small round spots, somewhat transparent with bluish 

 white margin and yellowish tinted center. The organism is 

 destroyed by a temperature of 60 C. in twenty minutes, and by 

 carbolic acid 1 to 100 in fifteen minutes. It shows rather a marked 

 resistance to drying. 



The milk of goats is considered the chief source of infection, 

 although the disease may be conveyed by other means. A case 

 is reported as contracted by the use of a clinical thermometer; 

 a fatal case occurred as a result of laboratory infection. 



