VIL] MICROCOCCUS. 69 



micrococci present in this saliva, thought to have discovered 

 that a micrococcus (microbe speciale) 1 is the cause of 

 hydrophobia. That saliva of the healthy dog and of man 

 inoculated subcutaneously into rabbits sometimes produces 

 death in these animals (Senator) had entirely escaped his 

 notice, and Sternberg 2 has proved this in an extensive series 

 of experiments. His own saliva proved sometimes fatal to 

 rabbits. They die of what is called septicaemia, and Stern- 

 berg thinks it due to the micrococci ; but this is not to be 

 considered as satisfactorily proved. 



All these micrococci stand therefore in no definite causal 

 relation to the respective maladies, but are probably only of 

 secondary importance. 



The following micrococci are considered to stand in an 

 intimate relation to specific diseases : 



i. Micrococcus variola et vaccinia. Chauveau 3 was the 

 first to prove experimentally that in vaccinia and in variola 

 the active principle is a particulate non-diffusible substance. 

 Burdon Sanderson confirmed and extended this. 4 Cohn 5 

 proved that the lymph of vaccinia and variola contains 

 numerous micrococci. Weigert 6 showed for human small- 

 pox, Klein 7 for sheep-pox, that the lymphatics of the skin 

 in the region of the pock are filled with micrococci, and 



1 It is not quite clear whether this microbe speciale is a dumb-bell 

 micrococcus or a bacterium termo ; it is quite possible that it is the 

 latter, viz. a rod constricted in the middle. If so, it would appear 

 identical with the bacterium that produces Davaine's septicaemia in 

 rabbits (see Chapter VIII.). 



2 Bulletin of the National Board of Health, U.S.A. April 30, 1881. 



3 Comptes Rendus, 1 868. 



4 Reports on the Intimate Pathology of Contagion. 



5 Virchow's Archiv, 1872. Keber, Hallier, Ziirn. 

 ; Med. Centralb. 1871. 



Phil. Trans. 1874. 



