CHAPTER It I. 



DIPHTHERIA. 



Bacillus Diphtheria (Klebs 1 -L6ffler 4 ), 



In 1883, Klebs pointed out the existence of a bacillus 

 in the pseudo-membranes upon the fauces of patients 

 suffering from diphtheria, but it was not until 1884 that 

 Loffler succeeded in isolating and cultivating the organ- 

 ism, which is now known by both their names — the 

 Klebs-Lomer bacillus. 



The bacillus as described by Loffler is about the length 

 * of the tubercle bacillus, about twice its diameter, has a 



Fig. 84.— Bacillus diphtheriae, from a culture upon blood-serum ; x 1000 

 (Frankel and Pfeiffer). 



curve similar to that which characterizes the tubercle 

 bacillus, and has rounded ends (Fig. 84). It does not 



1 Congress fiir innere med. Verhandlungen, 1883. 

 1 Mittheilungen aus der Kaiserliche "Gesimtfheitsamt, 2; 

 390 



