Expenmenkl Study of the Immunity against Bacillus 



Fyocyaneus. 



Introduction. 



Since G^ssard (^) in 1882 isolated pure cultures of bacillus pyocyamus 

 for the first time, this remarkable microbe has been the subject of a great 

 amount of investigation. A special interest in its pathogenic properties 

 was aroused by the publication in 1889 of Charrin's monograph on "la 

 maladie pyocyanique." Charrin (2) noted that pigeons, guinea-pigs, rabbits 

 and frogs were susceptible, and in particular that the rabbit exhibited 

 certain characteristic symptoms. In this animal he witnessed several 

 types of the pyocyanic disease, viz : — 



\. Superacute type, fatal in 24 hours. 

 2. Acute type, fatal in i -2 days. 



;\ 3. Subacute type, fatal in 1-3 weeks. 



4. Chronic type, fatal in several months. 



In the chronic cases, after an incubation period lasting from 15 days 

 to two months, Charrin saw the onset of paralysis affecting one or both 

 hind limbs, and occasionally spreading to the anterior extremities. The 

 paralysis was of a spastic type, and death was preceded by a condition of 

 marasmus. Among the anatomical changes, Charrin observed enteritis, 

 nephritis, and in one case amyloid infiltration. 



By growing bacillus pyocyaneus in bouillon for a week, and then 

 filtering the culture through porcelain, Charrin found that, in large doses 

 (60-80 c.c), the rabbit developed symptoms of disease. 



In 1896 appeared the important research of Wassermann (3), who 

 demonstrated that the guinea-pig is the most sensitive animal to infec- 

 tion by the pyocyanic bacillus. The intraperitoneal inoculation of ^^ of 

 a platinum loop of a culture was sufficient to cause death in 24 hours. 



(159) 



