BACTERIA IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 587 



other bacteria present in the dysenteric discharges : Bacillus coli communis, 

 Bacillus pyocyaneus, Bacillus fluorescens liquefaciens, Staphylococcus pyo- 

 genes aureus, and Bacillus cedematis maligni. 



ECLAMPSIA. 



G-erdes (1892) obtained from the kidneys, lungs, liver, and blood from the 

 aorta of two fatal cases of puerperal convulsions a bacillus which he supposed 

 to be the cause of the disease. Hofmeister (1892) has shown that the bacillus 

 of Gerdes was, in fact, the well-known saprophyte, Proteus vulgaris. Haeg- 

 ler (1892) in examinations of the blood of cases of puerperal eclampsia always 

 had a negative result, but in the urine various bacteria were found in one 

 case Proteus vulgaris, in one Micrococcus urese, in one Staphylococcus pyo- 

 genes albus, in one a diplococcus which was probably identical with the micro- 

 coccus of croupous pneumonia. Doderlein (1893) also failed to find bacteria 

 of any kind in the blood of patients with puerperal eclampsia or in the urine. 

 Bar and Renon (1894), in three cases in which a bacteriological examination 

 of the liver was made immediately after death, found in one Staphylococcus 

 pyogenes albus and aureus ; in the other cases cultures from the liver re- 

 mained sterile. Combemale and Bue (1892) report that in four cases, in 

 which there was albuminuria, oedema, and disturbance of vision, a bac- 

 teriological examination of the blood demonstrated the presence of Staphy- 

 lococcus pyogenes albus, alone or associated with Streptococcus pyogenes 

 albus. 



ECZEMA. 



Unna and Tommasoli (1889) have described three species of micrococci 

 and six bacilli obtained from cases of eczema seborrhoicum which they re- 

 garded as new, viz. : Bacillus liquefaciens fluorescens minutissimus, Bacillus 

 aureus, Bacillus spiriferus, Bacillus albicans pateriformis, Bacillus ovatus 

 minutissimus, Ascobacillus citreus, Diplococcus citreus liquefaciens, Diplo- 

 coccus liquefaciens tardus, Diplococcus albicans tardus. 



Merrill (1895) has made a bacteriological study of fifty cases of eczema 

 seborrhoicum. In two cases the result was negative, "it being impossible to 

 obtain any growth from the scales by any method." In the remaining forty- 

 eight cases bacteria were obtained in cultures, made at the room temperature. 

 "Pure cultures obtained in the experiments showed three distinct varieties 

 of bacteria which may be designated Nos. 1, 2, and 3. In thirty-one cases 

 all three were present ; in seven only Nos. 1 and 2 ; in two, Nos. 1 and 3 ; 

 in five, No. 1 ; and in one, No. 3 alone. Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus 

 was also obtained in one case and Bacillus fluorescens liquefaciens minutis- 

 simus in three. The bacteria found are described as follows : 



" Variety 1. Small diplococci, single or in irregular groups. The parts 

 forming each diplococcus are round or only slightly oval. The germs are 

 aerobic, noii -liquefying, and iion-chromogenic. At 70 F. they grow rap- 

 idly. On gelatin plates the deep-seated colonies remain about the size of an 

 ordinary pin's head for weeks. The superficial colonies are round, white, 

 with slightly raised surfaces, and smooth or somewhat irregular borders. In 

 its growth the colony adheres very nearly to its circular form. After the 

 first week the centre begins to turn darker, and with increasing age of the 

 colony the whole surface, hitherto smooth, begins to be wrinkled and the 

 edges become irregular, as though the evaporation of the water caused con- 

 traction. At the end of three weeks growth seems to stop, and the colony 

 changes from its original white color to a dusky brown. On agar-agar the 

 appearances closely resemble those of the gelatin colonies, except that it is 

 slower in its growth and its surface has a whiter lustre. On potato the 

 growth begins to be visible on the second day. On the fifth day it is cream 

 white, smooth, raised about a tenth of an inch, and its edges are irregular 



