4 THE BACTERIA IN ASIATIC CHOLERA. [INT. 



ising cholera ; and that therefore the bowel discharges 

 containing those specific bacteria are par excellence the 

 vehicle of the cholera-germ. It is obvious, that if this comma- 

 bacillus of Koch is in reality the cholera-germ, is really the 

 cholera-bacillus as truly as the anthrax-bacillus present in 

 the blood of the whole body of an animal affected with or 

 dead from anthrax, and the tubercle-bacillus of Koch 

 present in the tuberculous deposits of an animal or human 

 being affected with tuberculosis, are the germs of these 

 diseases then the whole series of measures required for 

 checking the spread of cholera would be as simple as they 

 would be efficient. For if it be true that this comma- 

 bacillus, which as we shall see is present only in the 

 contents of, and of course in the discharges from, the 

 bowels of a person affected with cholera, is really and truly 

 the cholera-germ, then the destruction of all the bowel 

 discharges of a cholera-patient, the prevention of bowel 

 discharges gaining access by food, drink, or otherwise to the 

 alimentary canal of others, would be no doubt an effectual 

 and almost the exclusive mode of checking the spread of the 

 disease. Other questions : such as the relation of this comma- 

 bacillus to various conditions of temperature, soil, season, 

 &c., although important from a scientific point of view, 

 would be insignificant compared with this cardinal and 

 fundamental fact. Has it, then, been proved that the 

 comma-bacillus of Koch is the real cholera-germ ? This is 

 the question to answer which the following chapters are 

 devoted. 



