396 BACILLI IN CHRONIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 



in such numbers in the cells of the leprous tubercles, to which the 

 name Bacillus leprse has been given. Quite recently the announce- 

 ment has been made that the " India Leprosy Commission " has suc- 

 ceeded in cultivating the leprosy bacillus in blister serum. Not hav- 

 ing seen a detailed account of the experiments of this Commission, 

 the writer is unable to estimate the value of their work and the reli- 

 ability of the alleged success in cultivating this bacillus. 



Some of the earlier observers described the bacillus of leprosy as 

 motile, but this assertion seems to have been based upon some error 

 of observation, and it is now generally agreed that, like the tubercle 

 bacillus, it is without proper movements. The question of spore for- 

 mation has not been definitely settled. As before remarked, un- 

 stained portions, occurring at regular intervals, are seen in the rods in 

 stained preparations ; but no satisfactory evidence has been presented 

 to show that these are truly reproductive spores. 



Pathogenesis, The inference that the bacillus above described 

 bears an etiological relation to the disease with which it is associated 

 is based upon the demonstration of its constant presence in leprous 

 tissues which has now been repeatedly made in various and distant 

 parts of the world and of its absence from the same tissues involved 

 in different morbid processes. As it has not been obtained in pure 

 cultures, the final proof of such etiological relation is still wanting. 

 We have, however, experimental evidence to show that leprous tis- 

 sues containing this bacillus are infectious and may reproduce the 

 disease. The experiment has been made upon man by Arning, who 

 inoculated a condemned criminal subcutaneously with fresh leprous 

 tubercles. The experiment was made in the Sandwich Islands, and 

 the man was under observation until his death occurred from leprosy 

 at the end of about five years. The first manifestations of the disease 

 became visible in the vicinity of the point of inoculation several 

 months after the experimental introduction of the infectious material. 



Positive results have also been reported in the lower animals by 

 Damsch, by Vossius, and by Melcher and Ortmann. The last-named 

 investigators inoculated rabbits in the anterior chamber of the eye 

 with portions of leprous tubercles excised for the purpose from a 

 leper. The animals died from general infection at the end of several 

 months, and the characteristic tubercles containing the bacillus were 

 distributed through the various organs. 



56. BACILLUS MALLEI. 



Synonyms. The bacillus of glanders; Der Rotzbacillus, Ger. ; 

 Bacille de la morve, Fr. 



Discovered by Loftier and Schiitz (1882), and proved to be the 

 cause of glanders by the successful inoculation of pure cultures. 



