II.] DISTRIBUTION OF COMMA-BACILLI. 35 



as regards depth and number, as is maintained by Koch in 

 regard to the acute stage of cholera, is not borne out even 

 in those cases that are particularly favourable to the immi- 

 gration of bacteria from the surface into the depth of the 

 tissue. 



To say then as Babes does, 1 that in the material (intes- 

 tine) from a case of cholera, which had been preserved in 

 alcohol for some years, he found comma-bacilli in the tissue, 

 means nothing whatever, since it is not stated how long after 

 death the intestine had been left before being removed to 

 the hardening fluid. The same negative value is to be 

 attached to the statement of Mr. Watson Cheyne, who says 

 that after repeated examinations he found the comma-bacilli 

 in the tissue, though he at first missed them. As has been 

 mentioned just now, I have myself examined such prepara- 

 tions, but there was always clear evidence that the tissue was 

 invaded also and more numerously by other bacteria, or that 

 the tissue in which the comma-bacilli were present was near 

 the surface, and in a state of necrosis or profound alteration. 

 Judging from the numerous examinations of sections of 

 cholera-intestine that have been made by various observers 

 during the last few years, there has not been one confirming 

 their usefulness for the purpose of diagnosis. Klebs, Van 

 Ermengem, Von Emmerich, Buchner and others, have all 

 questioned the statement of Koch. 



A point of importance in interpreting the occurrence of 

 bacteria in the diseased intestine is, that it is necessary to 

 bear in mind that bacteria can penetrate during life into the 

 tissue of even a perfectly healthy intestine. Bizzozero was 

 the first to show 2 that in the tissue of the lymph-follicles 

 constituting the Fever's glands in the rabbit there occur, 



1 Virchmtfs Archiv, 1881. 



2 Centralblatt f. d. med. Wiss. 1885. 



D 2 



