MICROCOCCI PATHOGENIC IN THE LOWER ANIMALS. 207 



tetragenus; guinea-pigs show either local abscesses 

 or septicaemia; rabbits and dogs are unaffected by 

 large quantities injected subcutaneously or into tbe 

 veins. Whether in man the presence of M. tetragenus in 

 the tuberculous lungs is accompanied by any secondary 

 injurious results must be ascertained by further investi- 

 gations. In the meantime M. tetragenus is of import- 

 ance to us as it is a micro-organism admirably adapted 

 for experiments on account of its morphological pecu- 

 liarities and of the ease with which it can be cultivated. 



The following are imperfectly known: Streptococcus Organism of a 



. AT T-II ,1 i disease of 



permciosus psittacorum. According to Ebertn and parrots. 

 Wolff parrots imported into Europe die in large numbers 

 from a disease in which nodules are formed on the sur- 

 face of the lungs, spleen, kidneys, &c. Cocci of medium 

 size with a tendency to the formation of chains are found 

 in the vessels, in the nodules, and in the blood of the 

 heart. 



Streptococcus Charrin. Found by Charrin* in the Chamn's 

 bodies of rabbits which had died of anthrax. Oval micro- 

 cocci 1 to 2 p. in diameter, with a tendency to form 

 chains composed of as many as twenty cocci. They are 

 present in large numbers in the vessels of all the organs. 

 The micrococcus kills rabbits within eighteen to forty- 

 eight hours after subcutaneous inoculation. On post- 

 mortem examination we find great swelling of the spleen 

 and oedema at the seat of injection. Besides rabbits, 

 sparrows and cats are also susceptible, the latter, how- 

 ever, not always ; dogs and fowls are immune. This 

 septicaemia is termed " septicemie consecutive au char- 

 bon." It is probably identical with Koch's coccal sepsis 

 (p. 211). 



Streptococcus lombycis (Mikrozyma bombycis, Be- Silkworm 

 champ.) Oval cells at most 1*5 /*. in diameter, single or 

 united in pairs or chains of 4 8, or even longer straight 

 or curved chains ; causes the lethargy (flacherie, flacci- Lethargy. 

 dezza, maladie de morts-blancs) of the silkworms which 

 appeared about 15 years ago, and since then has broken 

 out with great violence from time to time. 



* Societe de biologie, Seance du 2 Aout, 1884. 



