140 BACTERIAL POISONS. 



not to be identical with that of EHERTH. It is true that 

 this germ induced in dogs a continued fever of from 

 twenty-eight to thirty-five days in duration, terminating 

 in some instances fatally and revealing ulceration and per- 

 foration of the small intestines, but for this reason it is 

 known to be different from EBERTH'S bacillus, because the 

 latter never induces these effects. Notwithstanding this 

 failure to affect the lower animals, the majority of bacteri- 

 ologists believe, as has been stated, that the EHERTH 

 bacillus is the sole and only cause of typhoid fever. In 

 this believe VAUGHAN refuses to concur, and claims that 

 the EBERTH bacillus as found in the spleen after death is 

 an involution form of any one of a number of germs 

 which are found in certain waters. As this is not the 

 place for an extended discussion of purely morphological 

 questions, the reader is referred to the literature of the 

 subject, and we will content ourselves with giving the 

 following summary of what is known concerning the 

 chemical products of the EBERTH bacillus and of the 

 germs studied by VAUGHAN. 



In 1885, BRIEGER obtained from pure cultures of the 

 EBERTH bacillus a poisonous ptomaine, which produced in 

 guinea-pigs a slight flow of saliva, frequency of respira- 

 tion, dilatation of the pupils, profuse diarrhoea, paralysis, 

 and death within from twenty-four to forty-eight hours. 

 Post-mortem examination showed the heart in systole, the 

 lungs hypersemic, and the intestines contracted and pale. 

 At first BRIEGER was inclined to regard this as the specific 

 poison of typhoid fever and named it typhotoxine. How- 

 ever, he has more recently modified his opinion and is 

 inclined to regard typhoid fever as due to a mixed in- 

 fection. 



BRIEGER and FRANKEL have found in cultures of the 

 EBERTH bacillus a proteid which causes death in rabbits 

 after from eight to ten days. They say nothing about the 

 symptoms. 



In 1889, VAUGHAN isolated from mixed cultures from 

 typhoid stools a base, forming crystalline salts and capable 

 of inducing in cats and dogs a marked elevation of tern- 



