426 ACTINOMYCETES. 



methods, and if blue rods are obtained, the smegma bacil- 

 lus can be diagnosed. Finally, also cultures may be pre- 

 pared upon ordinary nutrient media to search for Myco- 

 bacterium lacticola and related organisms. 



Microorganisms in Syphilis. 



Lustgarten (Wien. med. Wochenschr., 1884, and Wien. 

 Jahrbuch, 1885) was the first to find micro-organisms in 

 syphilis by modern methods. He succeeded in staining, 

 by means of a special method, organisms resembling the 

 tubercle bacillus, in the interior of syphilitic gummas and 

 in the primary lesions (Technical Appendix). Doutrele- 

 pond arrived at similar results. 



After the discovery of very similar organisms in normal 

 smegma (see p. 424) had very much reduced the signifi- 

 cance of the syphilis bacillus in the secretion of the pri- 

 mary lesion, and after very many investigators had sought 

 in vain for Lustgarten' s organism in the interior of syph- 

 ilitic bodies, it was the general opinion that Lustgarten' s 

 positive findings in gummas were to be explained by a 

 mixed infection with tuberculosis. 



After ten years scarcely more than one article worthy of 

 notice upon the etiology of syphilis had appeared, when 

 van Niessen undertook to investigate anew this important 

 question. Unfortunately, he entered upon the work with 

 absolutely insufficient knowledge, and his first publications 

 (C. B. xxni, 48) deserve in general no serious discussion, 

 as they were so full of technical errors. 



Van Niessen has recently made further communications 

 (Wiener mediz. Presse, 1899, Nos. 11-18) of investiga- 

 tions, carried out in the St. Petersburg institute of Prince 

 Oldenburg, which indeed show that he has learned much 

 in the meantime, but which can in no way be accepted as 

 proof for his assertions. Reexaminations by known inves- 

 tigators are absolutely essential. 



Van Niessen succeeded in cultivating an organism, 

 which resembles somewhat the Corynebacterium diphthe- 

 rise, from the blood of suitable cases of secondary syph- 

 ilis, and also from flat condylomas which were not 

 ulcerated (how often is not clear). It exhibits distinct 

 clubbing and branching, stains with the ordinary anilin 



