BACILLUS DYSENTERIC 545 



Sometimes they can be detected in the intestinal contents 

 after both subcutaneous and intraperitoneal inoculation; 

 at other times they cannot. 



If the stomach contents be neutralized and large doses of 

 the bacilli be administered per os, death may occur. Under 

 these conditions the small intestine is hyperemic and con- 

 tains blood-stained mucoid matter, from which the bacilli 

 may usually be cultivated. 



If cultures be fed to cats after administration of croton 

 oil, a fatal diarrhea may ensue. The mucous membrane of 

 the large intestine is injected, its surface covered with 

 mucous, and its contents mucoid. From the latter the 

 bacilli may be recovered in culture. 



A fatal diarrhea may follow the simple feeding of cultures 

 to dogs. This occurs in somewhat less than six days. The 

 condition of the contents and walls of the large intestine 

 is essentially similar to that seen in the cat. 



In view of the fact that marked evidences of intoxica- 

 tion may follow upon the injection of suspensions of dead 

 cultures of this organism (solid cultures killed by exposure 

 to 60 C.), it is probable that the pathogenicity of this 

 organism is referable to its endotoxin, rather than to a 

 soluble intoxicant secreted or manufactured as a by product 

 in the course of growth. 



The Hiss-Russell Type of Organism. In the detailed study 

 of dysentery and summer diarrhea in infants, a type of bacil- 

 lus dysenterise has been encountered which has the property 

 of fermenting mannite as well as dextrose. The Shiga type 

 ferments dextrose, but none of the other carbohydrates. 



The Strong Type of Organism. This type of organism has 

 many of the characters of the Harris type, though it ferments 

 only mannito-dextrose, and saccharose. 

 35 



