APPENDIX. 2O7 



carefully searched, as it often happens that character- 

 istically stained bacilli may be seen in one part of the 

 field, while they are entirely absent elsewhere. This 

 is especially true of films made direct from the swabs. 



The author is inclined to attach very considerable 

 importance to a positive result obtained with this method 

 of staining, but would not consider a negative result 

 as indicating the absence of the diphtheria bacillus. 



