MICRO-ORGANISMS BELONGING TO THE HIGHER BACTERIA 427 



containing a considerable number of leukocytes. Occasionally irreg- 

 ularly curved, thread-shaped micro-organisms are found. They vary 

 considerably in length and thickness, and broken and apparently 

 degenerating fragments are seen. The more slender threads are evenly 

 stained, but some fragmentation or beading of the protoplasm can 

 generally be observed. The thicker threads and broken fragments show 

 deeply stained globules and irregular bodies in a faintly visible rod 

 or thread-shaped covering. Some branching threads are observed, 

 but more commonly they are not branching. The fragments seen in 

 the smears, varying in length and thickness and staining properties, 

 convey the impression of a branching organism; the slender, more 

 evenly stained threads being the younger branches, and the thicker, 

 broken, and granular fragments the parent trunks. No other micro- 

 organisms are found in the smears. Sections from the lower lobe of 



Fio. 134 



Portion of kidney showing minute and large areas of infection. 



the right lung, stained with haematoxylin and eosin, showed in certain 

 places the identical microscopic appearances which are considered 

 characteristic of tuberculosis. There are distinct tubercles, of recent 

 growth, consisting of epithelioid cells and giant cells. Others have 

 granular or cheesy centres with epithelioid cells and giant cells at the 

 periphery; and some consist of cicatricial connective tissue surrounded 

 by a zone of epithelioid cells containing giant cells. Many sections 

 from the right lung showing the tuberculous lesions were stained in 

 the usual way for tubercle bacilli. Most careful searching by a number 

 of competent examiners failed to discover any tubercle bacilli or any 

 other micro-organisms. Stained by Gram's method, with care not to 

 decolorize too completely, threads like those described in the abscesses 

 are found in great abundance, but rather faintly stained. No threads 

 can be found within the typical tubercles with giant cells, but in the 



