18 LABORATORY METHODS OF UNITED STATES ARMY 



labelled with the patient's name, rank, organization, and the 

 station from which the specimen is sent. The test desired 

 (Wassermann, gonococcus-fixation, etc.) should be desig- 

 nated also. The capsules should be wrapped securely in 

 cotton to avoid breakage in the mails. 



(g) Specimens for the Wassermann test must be accom- 

 panied by requests, in duplicate, on Form 55q, M.D., and the 

 first time the serum of an individual is tested at this laboratory 

 it must also be accompanied by a Wassermann card, Form 

 97, M. D. 



AGGLUTINATION TESTS. The institution of prophylactic 

 inoculation against typhoid and paratyphoid fevers has 

 very largely obviated the usefulness of the agglutination 

 test (Widal) as a diagnostic procedure in these diseases. The 

 results are of value in establishing a positive diagnosis in 

 inoculated individuals only when there is a definite increase 

 in the agglutinating property of the serum, as shown by 

 repetition of the test with sera collected at intervals of a 

 week or ten days. For early diagnosis the blood culture should 

 be resorted to in all cases. In bacillary dysentery the agglu- 

 tination test may be of value in establishing a diagnosis; 

 but, as a rule, the serum possesses agglutinating properties 

 only in the severe or moderately severe cases. Isolation of 

 the causative organism by bacteriological examination of 

 the feces is a surer and altogether more satisfactory diag- 

 nostic procedure. 



Blood specimens forwarded for agglutination tests for 

 typhoid and paratyphoid fevers should be collected in 

 Wright's capsules, under aseptic precautions, in order that 

 cultures may be attempted from the clot. 



COLLECTING AND FORWARDING SPECIMENS FOR THE 

 DIAGNOSIS OF GLANDERS. 



CULTURES. The glanders bacillus can be obtained easily, 

 in pure cultures, from the interior of suppurating glands and 



