BACILLI OF JEQUIRITY OPHTHALMIA. 347 



cent.), and is prepared by maceration of the pounded Preparation of 

 seeds with cold water for 24 hours, and subsequent 

 filtration (at the temperature of the body the infusion 

 obtained is much weaker). If a few drops of this infu- 

 sion are introduced into the eye of man or rabbits 

 symptoms of irritation commence even after 3 hours ; 

 after 16 hours all the appearances of a severe ophthalmia 

 are present, the conjunctiva becomes covered with a 

 thick, greyish-yellow, firmly adherent membrane, and it 

 is not till 5 or 6 days that the symptoms subside and 

 recovery takes place. 



Sattler has found bacilli constantly present in the Sattier's 

 jequirity infusion, these organisms being 2*5 to 4'5 /*. bSh. 1 7 

 in length, and '58 /*. in thickness ; they are partly at 

 rest, partly in active movement; they form distinct 

 spores, the spores in the shorter rods being formed at 

 the poles, and in the longer also in one or two parts of 

 the middle of the bacillus ; at times longer threads, 

 containing rows of spores, are found. The bacilli at a 

 later period become united together in the form of a 

 scum on the surface of the infusion ; they are typical 

 aerobes. The spores are relatively resistant, and with- 

 stand in the dry state heating to 110 C. for five 

 minutes. The bacilli can be cultivated on solidified 

 blood serum and on nutrient jelly, as well as in a 

 number of other media ; they cause liquefaction of the 

 gelatine. According to Sattler the cultivations set up 

 conjunctivitis when inoculated on the eyes of rabbits, 

 though to a markedly less degree than the jequirity 

 infusion and without the formation of membrane ob- 

 served when the latter is employed. 



Cornil and Berlioz believe that they were able to infection of 

 demonstrate infective properties in the jequirity bacilli, wa?m-Tioo<k>d 

 these properties appearing after subcutaneous injection animals by 

 of infusion containing the bacilli into warm-blooded infusion, 

 animals, and into frogs. In the case of frogs the injec- 

 tion of one drop of a 2 to 4 per cent, infusion into the 

 dorsal lymph sac sets up a disease which ends fatally 

 within a few days with symptoms of increasing muscular 

 weakness ; on post-mortem examination we find sub- 



