170 BACTERIOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS. 



cultures, unless the rigid antiseptic precautions are 

 taken. Streptococci are common contaminations of 

 cultures, but rarely occur in film specimens. 



3. Anthrax bacilli. These may be detected with ease 

 and certainty, but they are never found in the blood 

 until it is too late to save the patient. 



4. Tubercle bacilli. These are only present in very 

 scanty numbers and are very difficult to detect. The 

 diagnosis of miliary tuberculosis is to be made by other 

 methods, chiefly by that of exclusion. 



5. The pneumococcus is found in severe cases of 

 pneumonia (probably it might be found in most cases 

 if a sufficiently large quantity of blood were examined) 

 and in septicaemia and ulcerative endocarditis when 

 due to this organism. When found in the blood by 

 ordinary methods it always indicates a bad prognosis 

 and suggests the use of anti-pneumococcic serum. The 

 identification of the organism is easy and certain if they 

 are present in quantities sufficient for them to be found 

 in films. 



6. Typhoid bacilli are present in the blood in all cases 

 of typhoid fever, but their isolation is difficult and the 

 diagnosis of the disease is made by other methods. 



7. The bacillus of glanders may be found in acute cases 

 of that disease, but its isolation and identification are 

 matters for an expert. 



8. The influenza bacillus is present in some, or, accord- 

 ing to some authorities, all cases of influenza. It may 

 be searched for in films, but no importance should be 

 attached to a negative result. 



9. The bacillus of plague. This organism is often 

 present in the blood in relatively large numbers, and 

 the disease can usually be diagnosed after a careful 

 search through a number of suitably stained films. But 



