4 o8 INFLUENZA. 



lumen of the tubes and sometimes taking up the bacilli. 

 Other organisms also, especially Fraenkel's pneumococcus, 

 are concerned in the pneumonic conditions following 

 influenza. 



In some cases influenza occurs in tubercular subjects, or 

 is followed by tubercular affection, in which cases both 

 influenza and tubercle bacilli may be found in the sputum. 

 In such a condition the prognosis is very grave. Regard- 

 ing the presence of influenza bacilli in the other pulmonary 

 complications following influenza, much information is still 

 required. Occasionally in the foci of suppurative softening 

 in the lung the influenza bacilli have been found in a 

 practically pure condition. In cases of empyema the organ- 

 isms present would appear to be chiefly streptococci and 

 pneumococci ; whilst in the gangrenous conditions, which 

 sometimes occur, a great variety of organisms has been found. 



As above stated, Canon described the bacilli as occur- 

 ring in the blood, and Pfeiffer, on examining Canon's pre- 

 parations, admits that the bacilli shown resembled the 

 influenza bacilli. His own observations on a large series 

 of cases convinced him that the organism was very rarely 

 present in the blood, that in fact its occurrence there must 

 be looked upon as exceptional. The conclusions of other 

 observers have, on the whole, confirmed this statement. It 

 has been regularly found in enormous numbers in the 

 sputum in influenza, but only occasionally and in small 

 numbers in the blood. It is probable that the chief 

 symptoms in the disease are due to toxines absorbed from 

 the respiratory tract (vide infra). 



We cannot yet speak definitely with regard to the 

 relation of the bacillus to other complications in influenza. 

 Pfeiffer found it in inflammation of the middle ear, but 

 in a case of meningitis following influenza Fraenkel's 

 diplococcus was present. In one or two cases of meningitis, 

 however, the influenza bacillus has been found (Pfuhl and 

 Walter, Cornil and Durante). 



Experimental Inoculation. There is no satisfactory 

 evidence that any of the lower animals suffer from influenza 



