352 THE DISEASES AND DISCED ERS OF THE OX. 



In Appendix B, p. 367, of the Medical Report for 1886 

 contained in the Sixteenth Annual Report of the Local Govern- 

 ment Board, Dr. Klein records the results of experiments in 

 connection with the etiology of scarlatina. 



He says that in his report of the previous year it was shown 

 that in the ulcers on the teats and udders of the affected 

 Hendon cows a micrococcus was found to he present which, 

 when grown on nutritive gelatine, Agar-Agar mixture, blood 

 serum, broth, and milk, possessed certain definite distinguishing 

 characters. By means of cultivations of this micrococcus, 

 cutaneous and visceral disease was produced by subcutaneous 

 inoculation, and this disease in many of its characters resembled 

 that of the viscera in the Hendon cows, as well as that of the 

 viscera in cases of human scarlatina. Now the points which 

 presented themselves for determination were whether or not the 

 peculiar micrococcus observed in the Hendon cows occurs in 

 cases of human cases of scarlatina, and if so whether or not this 

 micrococcus, when derived from human scarlatina, is capable of 

 producing the same disease in calves as had been seen in calves 

 inoculated with the cultivations of the micrococcus taken from 

 the Hendon cows. 



With the view of settling these questions. Dr. Klein examined 

 a number of acute cases of scarlatina at the Fulham Fever 

 Hospital. 



The part from which the blood was taken, namely, the tip of 

 the finger or the skin of the arm covered with the rash, was well 

 rubbed and washed with a strong solution of carbolic acid, and 

 then dried with a clean cloth. By means of a piece of tape, 

 venous congestion of the part was produced, and the skin was 

 well pricked with a clean needle. As the blood came out on 

 the withdrawal of the needle, it was at once received in a capillary 

 glass pipette freshly drawn out and having a pointed end. 

 The withdrawal of the needle, and the rising up of the blood 

 into the pipette were as nearly as possible simultaneous, so that 

 there was very little chance of any accidental introduction of air 

 germs into the blood received into the pipette. Then a test- 

 tube plugged with sterile cotton-wool, the surface of which was 

 well charred, and containing solidified sterile nutritive gelatine, 

 and presenting a slanting, large surface, was inverted, the plug 

 was half or two-thirds drawn out with the sterilised forceps, and 



