BACTERIOLOGY OF WHOOPING-COUGH 35 



VII. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS. 



1. In the sputum of pertussis patients there is, almost constantly, 

 an organism which, morphologically and culturally, is identical with 

 the influenza bacillus. It is usually in greater abundance than any 

 other organism of the sputum. 



2. This organism is most abundant during the spasmodic stage of 

 the disease. It has been found several days before the whoops 

 began, and as long as six months after the disease. 



3. During the coughing spasms it is thrown out in the surrounding 

 air in large numbers. 



4. Alone, its pathogenicity for animals is low; when associated 

 with other organisms, this property is decidedly increased. 



5. When transplanted in the human throat, this organism grows 

 in abundance and gives rise to a distinct reaction. It is therefore 

 not a harmless saprophyte. 



6. Symbiotic phenomena are manifested by this organism exactly 

 as by Pfeiffer's bacillus. 



7. Organisms which have not been differentiated from this bacillus 

 occur in a variety of throat affections, and occasionally in normal 

 throats. 



8. The evidence at hand will not permit a definite statement for 

 or against the specificity of this organism for whooping-cough. 



9. Granting that it is not specific, its significance as a harmful 

 secondary invader cannot be questioned. 



10. This organism was described first by Spengler in 1897, and 

 later by Jochmann, Krause, and others. Undoubtedly many have 

 observed it, but failed to isolate or describe it properly. 



I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to Dr. Hektoen for sug- 

 gestions and to Drs. Baum and Weaver, attending physicians at 

 Cook County Hospital, for the privilege of utilizing material in the 

 infectious wards. I wish also to thank the internes at Cook County 

 Hospital for their many courtesies, and also numerous physicians 

 who aided me in obtaining material for examination. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE I. 



FIG. i. Symbiosis Cluster of colonies of the influenza-like bacillus around the 

 larger staphylococcus colony. Blood-agar plate inoculated directly from pertussis 

 sputum. Magnified 30 times. 



