CHOLERA NOSTRAS AND CHOLERA MORBUS. 259 



be resorted to in making a diagnosis. A small quantity 

 of the intestinal discharge is injected into the abdominal 

 cavity of a guinea-pig, and in the presence of the cholera 

 germ a choleraic peritonitis develops. 



Cholera Nostras and Cholera Morbus. 



A large and varied number of bacteria have been found in 

 the intestinal discharges of patients affected with cholera 

 nostras and cholera morbus, e. g., members of the so-called 

 colon group, especially Bacterium coli communis. Strepto- 

 cocci have also been found and a large variety of vibrios, but 

 not the cholera vibrio. The acute enteritis of children, com- 

 monly known as summer complaint, is believed to be due to 

 Bacterium lactis (of Fluegge) or a peptonizing milk bacterium. 



At the present writing, reports are current of the dis- 

 covery of a specific germ in summer complaint, but no 

 authentic statement has as yet been published in this matter, 

 and it is, therefore, impossible to give even a brief description 

 of this organism. The meagre information at hand indicates 

 that the germ is in all probability Bacillus dysenterice or 

 some member of the colon group. 



