1889.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 13 



MEDICAL MICROSCOPY.* 



Trichinosis. — A mechanic, aged 37, died of this disease in the Bos- 

 ton City Hospital. March 9, 1S8S, after a month's confinement. The 

 history of the case, its symptoms, and treatment are given in the Boston 

 Medical and Surgical Joitrnal of Sept. 13. 1SS8. Trichinae were 

 not found until after his death, and hence the real cause of his intense 

 suftering was not discovered in time to treat it intelligently. On Feb. 

 24 microscopic examination of muscle from the the right forearm failed 

 to reveal the parasite. Feb. 29 a second examination of muscle from 

 the right thigh resulted similarly. The specimens were procured in 

 each instance by injecting a few minims of 4% solution of cocaine sub- 

 cutaneously and intramuscularly and cutting down upon the muscle. 

 The operation was painless, and the wounds healed readih'. After 

 death some intercostal muscle was removed from the right side, and 

 upon microscopical examination a few encapsulated trichinae were 

 found. Permission for an autopsy was refused bv his relatives. 



The patient had stated, Feb. 21. that pork was his favorite dish, and 

 that he had last eaten it as fried bacon about Feb. i. one week before 

 enti-ance to the hospital. He had for years lived a migratorv life, often 

 stopping at low-priced boarding-houses. 



The Bacillus Pyocyaneus. — At a meeting of the Chicago Medi- 

 cal Society, Sept. 3. Dr. Bayard Holmes read a paper and presented 

 some tubes containing cultures of this pvogenic microbe. An abstract 

 of the paper is given in the Western Medical Reporter. 



The presence of the Bacillus pyocyaneus is to be inferred from the 

 green or blue color of secretions — pus, sweat, etc., and from a peculiar 

 odor emanating therefrom. The odor is more significant than the color. 

 It is probable that the green coloring matter, pvocvanin, is a by-pro- 

 duct of the gi-owth of the bacillus, and it is neither constant nor patho- 

 logically significant. 



The specimens presented by Dr. Holmes were derived b}' tube and 

 plate culture, from the pus of a sub-mental abscess. The bacilli were 

 associated with streptococci. They are small, often found in twos, and 

 very motile in solutions. On gelatin plates it grows as a greenish white 

 spot surrounded by green gelatin. The gelatin is liquified conicallv 

 below the colony. The growth is slow. In tubes with needle cultures 

 it grows as a greenish-white pelicle on the surface of the gelatin, and 

 as small colonies below along the back of the needle. After two or 

 three days the gelatin begins to be liquified at the top, and the whole 

 tube becomes liquified in a few days. On the potato it grows slowlv, 

 as a reddish or greenish-white mass, which turns bright green on the 

 application of fumes of ammonia, and bright red bv the fumes of hy- 

 drochloric acid. 



Subcutaneous injections of the pure culture in rabbits and guinea 

 pigs produce sero-fibrinoiis or phlegmonous inflammations, and, at 

 times, abscess. The progressive phlegmonous inflammation resulted 

 fatally to the animals in some cases. The bacillus is capable of pro- 



* Conducted by F. Blanchard, M. D. 



