268 GONOKRHCEA AND SOFT SOKE 



distribution as seen in sections through the sores. The state- 

 ments of these observers regarding the presence and characters 

 of this organism have been fully confirmed by other observers. 



Microscopical Characters. The organism occurs in the form 



of minute oval rods measuring about 1*5 p in length, and '5 /x, 



in thickness (Fig. 76). It is found mixed with other organisms 



in the purulent discharge from the surface, and is chiefly arranged 



in small groups or in short chains. When studied in sections 



^^^^ through the ulcer, it is 



.--^^f^^^^^^ found in the superficial 



^feC H^v i )ai "k ^ ^ ie n or > ^ >iit 



Jm ^^K more deeply situated 



than other organisms, 



/;' ^^ ML and may be present in 



Mf ^jy* ** /LJiJjk f0F\ a state of purity amongst 

 Mjt"*** (jjt H^'flk J tne leucocytic infiltra- 



L A tion. In this position it 



JV ^~ ^titftimm? ^f is usually arranged in 



r dl ^^ * ^ppF * fr chains, which may be of 



considerable length, and 

 which are often seen 

 ^y^ n g i n parallel rows 

 between the cells. The 

 bacilli chiefly occur in 



FIG. 76. Film preparation of pus from soft the free condition, but 

 chancre, showing Ducrey's bacillus, chiefly OOPa i nTia ll v a f pw v^v 

 arranged in pairs. Stained with carbol- C)CCasi O n anv a lew may 

 fuchsin and slightly decolorised. x!500. be contained Within 



leucocytes. 



There is no doubt that in many cases the organism is present 

 in the buboes in a state of purity it has been found there by 

 microscopic examination, and cultures have also been obtained 

 from this source. The negative results of some observers are 

 probably due to the organism having died off. On the whole 

 the evidence goes to show that the ordinary bubo associated 

 with soft sore is to be regarded as another lesion produced by 

 Ducrey's bacillus. Sometimes the ordinary pyogenic organisms 

 become superadded. 



This bacillus takes up the basic aniline stains fairly readily, 

 but loses the colour very rapidly when a decolorising agent is 

 applied. Accordingly, in film preparations when dehydration 

 is not required, it can be readily stained by most of the ordinary 

 combinations, though Loffler's or Kiihne's methylene-blue solutions 

 are preferable, as they do not overstain. In sections, however, 

 great care must be taken in the process of dehydration, and the 



