BACILLI OF THE COLON-TYPHOID-DYSENTERY GROUP 087 



typhosus on the one hand, and from Bacillus coli on the o.ther> by the 

 following simple reactions tabulated by Buxton. 3 



B. Coli. 



Paratyph. etc. 



B. Typhosus. 



Coagulation of milk -f- 



Production of indol 



Fermentation of lactose with gas -f 



Fermentation of dextrose Wtth gas 



Agglutination in typhoid-immune serum 



- (ac.) 



The simplest differentiation between the large groups can be made by 

 fermentation tests as follows : 



4 Jackson. 



Pathogenically, the bacilli of this " intermediate group" have attracted 

 attention chiefly in connection with meat poisoning, and with protracted 

 fevers indistinguishable from mild typhoidal infections. 



General Survey of the Group. In 1888, Gartner 5 described a bacillus 

 which he isolated from the meat of a cow, the ingestion of which had produced 

 the symptoms of acute gastrointestinal catarrh in 57 people. One of these died of 

 the disease and the bacilli could be demonstrated in the spleen and blood of the 

 patient. 



This bacillus, called Bacillus enteritidis by Gartner, was actively motile, 

 formed no indol, but produced gas in dextrose media. Acute gastrointestinal 

 symptoms could be induced by feeding the organisms to mice, guinea-pigs, 

 rabbits, and sheep, and the bacilli could be recovered from the infected animals. 

 The bacterial bodies themselves were found by Gartner to be toxic, containing a 

 poison which was extremely resistant to heat. Sterilized cultures showed the 

 same pathogenic effects as the living bacilli. Epidemics of meat poisoning sim- 



3 Buxton, loc. cit. 



5 Gartner, Corresp. Bl. d. Aerzt. Vereins, Turingen, 1888. 



