256 BACTERIOLOGY. 



cases occurred; but comma-shaped organisms are 

 commonly present in sewage-contaminated water 

 (Fig. 94). The comma-bacilli are aerobic, and 

 their development is arrested by deprivation of 

 oxygen. They are destroyed 

 -^ ( by drying and the presence of 

 ~ ^( ( various antiseptic substances. 

 They are distinguished from 

 ^^ " all other comma-shaped organ- 



isms by the test of cultivation. 



FIG. 94. COMMA-SHAPED r^-, t j/-r i 



ORGANISMS WITH OTHER - 1 n ^ entirely different results 



(| 



, obtained in the case of the 

 comma-bacilli of cholera nostras 

 (Figs. 90 to 93), renders a thorough acquaintance 

 with these bacilli of the greatest importance as an 

 aid in diagnosis. 



drew attention to certain peculiar mycelium-like threads in the 

 mucous membrane of the intestines. These organisms, however, 

 judging from a preparation stained with methylene blue which was 

 exhibited at the meeting, appeared to the author to much more 

 closely resemble some of the involution forms of the comma-bacillus, 

 filaments a masses globuleuses, figured by Van Ermengen, than 

 anything else he had seen. Yet assuming these peculiar structures 

 to belong as described to some species of Chytridiaceas, it is very 

 doubtful whether they can be considered to have any significance. 

 Methylene blue has been employed by Koch and others, including 

 the author, for staining sections of the intestine from cholera cases, 

 and had they been constantly present it is hardly possible that such 

 striking objects could have been overlooked. Again, we .must bear 

 in mind that hyphomycetous fungi occasionally have been found to 

 occur saprophytically in the intestinal canal as well as in the lungs, 

 external auditory meatus, and elsewhere. We must wait, before ex- 

 pressing a more definite opinion, until the report of these observers 

 is published in full. 



