464 CHOLEKA 



organism, though probably they produce no pathological con- 

 ditions in the human subject. 



Metchnikoff's Spirillum (vibrio Metchnikovi). This organism was 

 obtained by Gamaleia from an epidemic disease of fowls in Odessa, and 

 is of special interest on account of its close resemblance to the cholera 

 organism. 



Morphologically the organism is practically identical with Koch's 

 spirillum (Fig. 136). It is actively motile, and has the same staining 

 reactions. Its growth in peptone-gelatin also closely resembles that of the 

 cholera organism, though it produces liquefaction more rapidly (Fig. 137, 

 A). In gelatin plates the young colonies are, however, smoother and more 



circular. After liquefaction 



* /~ r - occurs, some of the colonies 



y jfi "*' X are almost identical in 



earance with those 



/^'W 



ap- 



pearance with those of the 

 < " cholera vibrio, whilst others 



show more uniformly turbid 

 contents. In puncture cul- 

 tures the growth takes place 

 more rapidly, but in appear- 

 ance closely resembles that 

 of the cholera organism a 

 few days older. Its growth 

 in peptone solution, too, is 

 closely similar, and it also 

 gives the cholora-red re- 



action - 



This organism can, how- 

 i ( ~, ** ' ever, be readily distinguished 



from the cholera organism 



FIG. 136.-Metclmikoff'.s spirillum, both in ^y the effects of inoculation 



curved and straight forms ; from an agar on animals especially on 



culture of twenty-four hours' growth. pigeons and guinea - pigs. 



Stained with weak carbol-fuchsin. x 1000. Subcutaneous inoculation of 



small quantities of pure cul- 

 ture in pigeons is followed 



by septicaemia, which produces a fatal result usually within twenty-four 

 hours. Inoculation with the same quantity of cholera culture produces 

 practically no result ; even with large quantities death is rarely produced. 

 The vibrio Metchnikovi produces somewhat similar effects in the guinea- 

 pig to those in the pigeon, subcutaneous inoculation being followed by 

 extensive hsemorrhagic osdema and a rapidly fatal septicaemia. Young 

 fowls can be infected by feeding with virulent cultures. We have 

 evidence from the work of Gamaleia that the toxins of this organism 

 have somewhat the same action as those of the cholera organism. 



The organism is therefore one which very closely resembles the cholera 

 organism, the results on inoculating the pigeon offering the most ready 

 means of distinction. It gives a negative reaction to Pfeiffer's test that 

 is, the properties of an anti-cholera serum are not exerted against it. It 

 may also be mentioned that an organism which is apparently the same 

 as the vibrio Metchnikovi was cultivated by Pfuhl from water, and named 

 v. Nordhafen. 



Finkler and Prior's Spirillum. These observers, shortly after Koch's 



