LUMBAR PUNCTURE. 13! 



B. To septicaemia infection due to disease in a distant part of the 

 body. 



a. Pneumococcic 



Secondary to pneumonia, endocarditis, &c. 

 Pneumococcns. 



b. Pyogenic 



Secondary to abscesses, &c., and occurring as a part of a 

 general infection. 

 Staphylococci. 

 Streptococci, &c. 



c. Gonorrhceal 



Secondary to gonorrhoea. 

 Gonococcus. 



d. Tubercular 



Secondary to tuberculosis of other regions. 

 Tubercle bacillus. 



e. Miscellaneous 



Secondary to typhoid fever. 



Typhoid bacillus. 

 Secondary to influenza. 



Influenza bacillus. 

 Secondary to anthrax, &c. 



Anthrax bacillus, &c. 



Of these the organisms which are most likely to occur 

 are Weichselbaum's diplococcus, the pneumococcus, the 

 tubercle bacillus, streptococci, and staphylococci. The 

 examination for these bacteria may be carried out by 

 means of stained films or cultures. 



Preparation of films. If the fluid is thick and purulent, 

 films should be prepared, dried, and fixed in the 

 ordinary way. If the fluid is thin and watery it should 

 be allowed to stand for some hours. A certain amount 

 of coagulation will take place and the sediment which 

 collects will contain the bulk of the micro-organisms. 

 This sediment should be removed by means of a pipette 

 or platinum loop and films prepared from it. The 

 subsequent examination will depend to some extent 



K2 



