INTRAPERITONEAL INJECTION. 387 



of special interest is the fact, discovered by Metchnikoff, 

 that in the case of young rabbits shortly after birth, a large 

 proportion die of choleraic infection when the organisms 

 are simply introduced along with the milk, as may be done 

 by infecting the teats of the mother. Further, from these 

 animals thus infected the disease may be transmitted to 

 others by a natural mode of infection. In this affection 

 of young rabbits many of the symptoms of cholera are 

 present great prostration, markedly subnormal tempera- 

 ture, sometimes anuria, and occasionally slight cramps 

 before death. Most frequently there is diarrhoea, though 

 sometimes this may be absent, death occurring after the 

 other symptoms, the group of phenomena, according to 

 Metchnikoff, corresponding with cholera sicca. The small 

 intestine, especially in its lower part, shows the most 

 marked changes, though the caecum also is distended with 

 fluid. The organisms occur in large numbers in these 

 parts, and in some cases a few may be found in the blood, 

 and especially in the gall bladder. Many of these experi- 

 ments were performed with the vibrio of Massowah, which 

 is now admitted not to be a true cholera organism, others 

 with a cholera vibrio obtained from the water of the Seine. 



It will be seen from the above account that the evi- 

 dence obtained from experiments on intestinal infection 

 of animals, though by no means sufficient to establish the 

 specific relationship of the cholera organism, is on the whole 

 favourable to this view, especially when it is borne in mind 

 that animals do not in natural conditions suffer from the 

 disease. 



Experiments performed by direct inoculation also sup- 

 ply interesting facts. Intraperitoneal injection in guinea- 

 pigs is followed by general symptoms of illness, the most 

 prominent symptoms being distention of the abdomen, 

 subnormal temperature, and, ultimately, profound collapse. 

 There is peritoneal effusion, which may be comparatively 

 clear, or may be somewhat turbid and contain flakes of 

 lymph, according to the stage at which death takes place. 

 If the dose is large, organisms are found in considerable 



