34 DAVID J. DAVIS 



In the former were also many streptococci, while in the latter there 

 was nearly a pure culture of pneumococcus. A careful study, with 

 particular reference to the influenza-like bacilli, should be made of 

 the flora of the oral and nasal secretions of a large series of such 

 cases, and especially those cases of cough occurring in parents or 

 persons associated with children having pertussis, and often referred 

 to as a sympathetic cough, and the like. 



VI. NOMENCLATURE OF THE BACILLI. 



Before concluding, it may be well to discuss briefly the nomen- 

 clature of the bacilli of this class. As a general term for organisms 

 of this type, which only grow upon hemoglobin media, "Bacillus 

 hemophilicus" used so generally by the French, certainly seems 

 appropriate, inasmuch as it describes their most important char- 

 acteristic. Such a term would include Pfeiffer's bacillus, the pseudo- 

 influenza bacillus, all the bacilli described as influenza-like or as 

 influenza bacilli found in whooping-cough, measles, scarlet fever, 

 diphtheria, pharyngitis, varicella, bronchitis, tuberculosis, etc., Miiller's 

 trachoma bacillus, and a few other organisms having this property and 

 isolated from various sources. Should differences be detected between 

 the various organisms, as in all probability there will be, at least 

 between some of them, special names may then be assigned them; this 

 has been done, by those who believe that there are detectable differ- 

 ences, with organisms from influenza and whooping-cough. As for the 

 last- mentioned organism, if the names of individuals are used to desig- 

 nate it, it should be known either as Spengler's bacillus or the Speng- 

 ler-Jochmann bacillus. After reading Spengler's description of this 

 organism, it is difficult to see how anyone can believe that he was 

 dealing with an organism different from that described by Jochmann, 

 as the latter writer contends. Spengler called this organism the 

 pertussis bacillus, and if this organism is proved beyond question to 

 be specific for the disease and different from B. influenzae, this term 

 should be used, and Jochmann's term, "Bacillus pertussis Eppen- 

 dorf," discarded. However, until these organisms are definitely 

 distinguished from each other, it would seem that the special term, 

 Bacillus influenzae, should be used for all. 



