HISTORICAL. 7 



In 1873 Obermeier, a German physician, announced the discov- 

 ery, in the blood of patients suffering from relapsing fever, of a mi- 

 nute, spiral, actively motile microorganism the Spirochcete Ober- 

 meieri which is now generally recognized as the specific infectious 

 agent in this disease. 



The very important work of Koch upon traumatic infectious 

 diseases was published in 1878. 



In 1879 Hansen reported the discovery of bacilli in the cells of 

 leprous tubercles, and subsequent researches have shown that this 

 bacillus is constantly associated with leprosy and presumably bears 

 an etiological relation to the disease. 



In the same year (1879) Neisser discovered the " gonococcus " in 

 gonorrhoeal pus. 



The bacillus of typhoid fever was first observed by Eberth, and 

 independently by Koch, in 1880, but it was not until 1884 that Gaff- 

 ky's important researches relating to this bacillus were published. 



In 1880 Pasteur published his memoir upon fowl cholera, and the 

 same year appeared several important communications from this 

 pioneer in bacteriological research upon the "attenuation" of the 

 virus of anthrax and of fowl cholera and upon protective inocula- 

 tions in these diseases. 



In 1880 the present writer discovered a pathogenic micrococcus, 

 which he subsequently named Micrococcus Pasteuri, and which is 

 now generally recognized as the usual agent in the production of 

 acute croupous pneumonia commonly spoken of as the " diplococ- 

 cus pneumoniae," but described in the present volume under the 

 name of Micrococcus pneumonice crouposce. 



In 1881 several important papers by Koch and his colleagues ap- 

 peared in the first volume of the " Mittheilungen " published by the 

 Imperial Board of Health of Germany. 



The following year (1882) Koch published his discovery of the 

 tubercle bacillus. 



The same year Pasteur published his researches upon the disease 

 of swine, known in France as rouget. 



The same investigator (Pasteur) also published in 1882 his first 

 communication upon the subject of rabies. 



Another important discovery was made in 1882 by the German 

 physicians Loffler and Schiitz, viz., that of the bacillus of glan- 

 ders. 



Koch published his discovery of the cholera spirillum " comma 

 bacillus "in 1884. 



The same year (1884) Loffler discovered the diphtheria bacillus. 



Another important publication during the same year was that of 

 Rosenbach, who, by the application of Koch's methods, fixed defi- 



