180 PROTISTS AND DISEASE 



than in others, and different strains cause different lesions 

 in the rabbit. Noguchi found the spironemes not to be 

 filtrable, but they grow through a filter in 4 days. Both 

 longitudinal and transverse divisions have been observed 

 in the spironeme. 



One can understand how those who study syphilis only 

 by seeking spironemes for diagnosis, 1 and reflecting on the 

 cultural results just mentioned conclude that the spironeme 

 is to syphilis what Koch's bacillus is to tuberculosis. 



In order to accept this simple interpretation of syphilis 

 one must ignore the intracellular and other phases mentioned 

 above ; indeed many more proved facts than can be 

 explained by accepting Schaudinn's view. 



The spironema is not a final phase : like other similar 

 bodies it has been observed to shed granules which appear 

 to be the immediate infecting agents. Of all accounts of 

 granule-shedding the most complete is that given by 

 A. Balfour as he saw it in spirochaetosis of Soudanese fowls : 

 the granules were forced out by repeated contractions of the 

 skin-layer. The question does not concern syphilis alone : 

 spiral forms occur in Plassomyxa contag. and in probably 

 the same parasite in flagellate-diphtheria of birds ; they 

 have been found in vaccinia, and in some tumours mentioned 

 below. The conditions of cultivation that suit the spiro- 

 nema are uniform ; such as would be likely to favour one 



1 Examination by help of the dark-ground illumination microscope is now regularly 

 used in clinical work, and it is of the greatest service : early diagnosis and immediate 

 treatment being now the rule. 



