TUBERCLE. 77 



Clear exudates are more difficult to examine, and, as 

 they usually contain bacilli in very small numbers only, 

 a negative result should not be given too much weight. 

 They may be allowed to sediment in a conical urine 

 glass, a few crystals of camphor being added to prevent 

 bacterial growth, carbolic acid being inadmissible as 

 it precipitates the proteids. The examination is best 

 made in a bacteriological laboratory, as decisive results 

 can only be obtained by animal experiments. Collect 

 the fluid in a bottle which has previously been boiled 

 in water for half an hour and allowed to cool. Cork 

 it with a cork which has also been boiled. Add no 

 antiseptic and forward it to the laboratory as soon as 

 possible. 



Milk may be examined in the same way a's urine, 

 films being made from the cream as well as from the 

 deposit. These films are fixed, soaked in ether to 

 remove fat, and again fixed. They are then stained as 

 before, and it is advisable to pass them through alcohol. 



When faces are to be examined the best plan is to 

 administer opium in amount sufficient to cause consti- 

 pation. The surface of the scybalous motions which 

 result are to be scraped off and stained in the usual 

 way. 



INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS. 



The finding of tubercle bacilli in the sputum is con- 

 clusive evidence of tuberculosis of the lungs, but no 

 information as to prognosis can be drawn from the 

 numbers which are present ; they may occur in great 

 quantities in the sputum from patients who are doing 

 well, and the author has found enormous numbers in 



