254 BACTERIOLOGY 



susceptible, rabbits in particular, if properly fed, will fre- 

 quently gain steadily in weight. The condition of progressive 

 emaciation just mentioned is conspicuously seen after 

 intravenous inoculation of rabbits with cultures of bacillus 

 typhosus and of bacillus coli, referred to in the chapter on the 

 latter organism, and if looked for will doubtless be seen to 

 follow inoculation with other organisms capable of producing 

 chronic forms of infection, but which are frequently con- 

 sidered non-pathogenic because of their inability to induce 

 acute conditions. Not infrequently in chronic infections 

 there may be hardly any marked and constant temperature- 

 variations until just before death, when sometimes there 

 will be a rise and at other times a fall of temperature. In 

 the majority of cases, however, one must be very cautious 

 as to the amount of stress laid upon changes in weight and 

 temperature, for unless they are progressive or continuous 

 in one or another direction they may have little significance 

 as indicating the existence or absence of disease. 



