CH. v.] VARIOUS SPECIES OF COMMA-BACILLI. 83 



first sight presented a certain resemblance to the cholera- 

 bacilli, but on more careful examination they were some- 

 what thicker and did not liquefy nutritive gelatine." From 

 this it is quite evident that, with the exception of this last 

 instance, Koch had failed to find comma-bacilli anywhere 

 except in cases of cholera. If Koch had known at that 

 time that comma-bacilli occur in the saliva of the mouth 

 and in various intestinal discharges, he would have no doubt 

 added these instances to the one of the salt-water lake in 

 Calcutta; but from his giving this as the only exception, 

 there can be no question that he had failed to meet with 



FIG. 27. COVER-GLASS SPECIMEN OF FINKLER'S COMMA-BACILLI FROM A 



GELATINE CULTURE. 

 Magnifying power about 600. 



comma-bacilli in any of the substances that were said to have 

 been examined. He therefore felt justified, he thought, 1 in 

 pronouncing that the comma-bacilli are constantly present 

 in cholera Asiatica, but do not occur anywhere else. As is 

 now well known, comma-bacilli are not so rare as Koch 

 thought, but on the contrary are of rather common occur- 

 rence. 



If in Egypt, while as yet unacquainted with the peculiar 

 and distinguishing characters of the comma-bacilli in cultures 

 in nutritive gelatine, and while, therefore, relying solely on 



1 Loc. cit. p. 25. 



G 2 



