104 BACTERIAL POISONS. 



alkaloidal reagents, with the exception of potassio-mercnric 

 iodide. It is somewhat volatile and loses its poisonous 

 properties on exposure to the air. 



The mixed alhumoses are poisonous only in considerable 

 doses, 0.3 gramme being required to kill a mouse of 22 

 grammes weight when injected subcutaneously. Smaller 

 doses cause a local oedema and a somnolent condition, from 

 which the animal recovers. The larger doses produce a more 

 extensive oedema and the somnolence deepens into coma, 

 terminating in death. In some cases the spleen is enlarged. 

 The absence of germs was demonstrated by plate cultures. 

 The alkaloid causes similar symptoms. It is, however, 

 more poisonous and acts more rapidly than the albumoses. 

 The animal is affected immediately after the injection, and 

 the gradually increasing coma terminates in death. The 

 alkaloid also produces oedema, and in many cases throm- 

 bosis of the small veins. Extravasation into the peritoneal 

 cavity is occasionally seen, and the spleen is ordinarily 

 enlarged and filial with blood. The fatal dose for a mouse 

 is from 0.1 to 0.15 gramme, death resulting within three; 

 hours. 



This alkaloid does not appear to be identical in its action 

 with the anthracin of HOFFA. 



ASIATIC CHOLERA. There are good reasons, apart from 

 experimental evidence, for believing that the comma bacillus 

 of KOCH produces its ill effects by the elaboration of chemi- 

 cal poisons. This germ is not a blood parasite. It grows 

 only in the intestine, and the symptoms of the disease and 

 death must result from the absorption of its poisonous 

 products. In confirmation of this statement experiment 

 has shown that this is one of the most active, chemically, 

 of all known pathogenic germs. 



In the first place, BITTER has shown that the comma 

 bacillus produces in meat-peptone cultures a peptonizing 

 ferment, which remains active after the organism has been 

 destroyed. Like similar chemical ferments, it converts an 

 indefinite amount of coagulated albumin into peptone. It 

 is more active in alkaline than in acid solutions, thus 



