796 MICROBIOLOGY OF DISEASES OF MAN AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



After death from septicaemia the body tends to putrefy rapidly. 

 The glandular organs all tend to be swollen and soft, especially the 

 spleen, and parenchymatous degenerations are found to a greater or 

 less extent. The lining membrane of the heart and vessels is blood 

 stained, a rather characteristic feature of streptococcic septicaemia. 

 Bronchitis and broncho-pneumonia are usually found. 



Erysipelas is an inflammation of the skin, occasionally of mucous 

 membranes, and the name is applied now only when the condition is 

 brought about by streptococci. The inflamed area is very definitely 

 outlined and may present blebs of a greater or less size. (Edema may 

 be very marked where the skin covers loose tissue. Fever is present 

 with its usual accompaniments. There may be vomiting, constipation 

 or diarrhoea. There may be severe headaches or delirium. In fatal 

 cases, death may occur without any apparent complication, or it may 

 follow meningitis, pericarditis, nephritis or some other sequel. In sim- 

 ple uncomplicated fatal cases the liver, kidneys and spleen are swollen 

 and soft and show degenerative changes in the gland cells. 



Bronchopneumonia may be a primary condition or secondary to 

 some other disease. The streptococcus produces a purulent inflam- 

 mation in the terminal bronchioles and their surrounding alveoli. 

 This lobular distribution may become practically lobar by the con- 

 fluence of affected areas. Streptococcic bronchopneumonias are 

 frequent in fatal cases of influenza. 



Pasteur, Koch, Rosenbach and Fehleisen divide the earlier honors in 

 the gradual working out of the relationships of streptococci to disease. 



Blood culture in plain broth in the case of septicaemia or inoculation 

 of plain nutrient agar from pus are practically always successful. 

 Growth is never luxuriant on the ordinary media. Cultivation from 

 cases of erysipelas is less easy because most of the organisms are found 

 at the margin of the lesion and are difficult to reach. 



In exudates a stained smear will usually demonstrate the chain- 

 forming coccus at once. 



The cocci vary in size from 0.4;* to i/x. In shape the organisms may be rounded 

 or oval or with one aspect flattened when occurring in pairs. The chains may be long 

 or short and a grouping into pairs is frequent even within the chain. There are no 

 true spores developed and the organism is non-motile. Capsules are not found on 

 the majority of streptococci. Staining the organism is easily accomplished with the 

 ordinary aniline dyes. It is Gram-positive. The temperature range in which 



