TUBERCLE. 75 



mistakes in this country ; it is recognised by the fact 

 that it is straighter and more uniform than the tubercle 

 bacillus, and by the fact that it resists decolorisa- 

 tion more powerfully than the tubercle bacillus. The 

 smegma bacillus may occur in the urine and lead to 

 mistakes unless the sample examined was drawn off per 

 catheter. It is distinguished by the fact that it is 

 readily decolorised by alcohol (absolute alcohol or 

 methylated spirit) while the tubercle bacillus is not. 

 In staining a film from the urine we decolorise in spirit 

 for a minute after the acid and before the methylene 

 blue, i.e., between stages 3 and 4 in the above 

 description. 



In searching for the tubercle bacillus the in. lens 

 will serve, though an oil immersion lens is an ad- 

 vantage. 



METHOD OF COLLECTING THE SPUTUM. 



This is of some importance, and the method recom- 

 mended should be carried out in all cases. 



Get the patient to wash out his mouth thoroughly 

 with warm water before going to bed. Let him spit 

 into a clean bottle, jar, or tin, and employ only the 

 sputum coughed up before food is taken in the morning. 



METHOD OF PREPARATION OF THE FILM. 



Sputum. Pour the sputum into a watch-glass and 

 place the latter upon a dark surface. Examine it 

 closely, looking out for small yellow particles ; these 

 consist of caseous material and will probably contain 



