BACILLUS (EDEMATIS MALIONI. 247 



injection of relatively large doses, 1, 5, 10 drops. In How to obtai 

 order to obtain cultivations from the dead body of an f^m the 

 animal the skin is washed as soon as possible after animal bod y 

 death with sublimate solution, and then with sterilised 

 water, or the hair is completely singed off at the part ; 

 then small portions of spleen, diaphragm, or of the 

 cedematous dorsal muscles, are taken with heated instru- 

 ments, and introduced into tubes of jelly containing 

 sugar, and kept at the temperature of 30 C. ; these are 

 then allowed to solidify. 



Kecently several cases of malignant oadema have Malignant 

 been observed in man. This disease has commonly ma n. 

 been designated by surgeons as progressive gangrenous 

 emphysema (gangrene gazeuse) ; it seems to have been 

 comparatively frequent before the introduction of anti- 

 septic methods ; it is now chiefly observed after compound 

 fractures or deep wounds, into which earth or other 

 material containing osdema bacilli has passed. A cre- 

 pitating emphysema of the skin spreads in these cases 

 from the wound, accompanied with the development of a 

 very putrid smell ; the muscles are at the same time 

 converted into a peculiar reddish-brown, loose, frothy 

 mass, full of gas bubbles ; and death generally occurs in 

 a few days with comatose appearances and gradual spread 

 of the oedema. Lately the identity of this gangrene 

 with malignant oedema has been repeatedly ascertained 

 by inoculation of animals and by cultivations (Chauveau, 

 Aiioing,* Brieger, and Ehrlich). 



Chauveau and Arloing have observed that animals which Experiments 

 recover from the disease are immune; injection into the on immunity, 

 veins produces a similar immunity, which, however, cannot 

 withstand repeated inoculations. Subcutaneous inoculations 

 of small quantities produce, according to Loeffler's experiments, 

 no noticeable disease, but also no immunity (Mitth. a. d. Kais. 

 Ges. Ami., Bd. I.). 



* Bull, de YAcad. de Med., May, 1884, and August, 1884. 



