KOCH- WEEKS BACILLUS 143 



Influenzal meningitis is more frequent than formerly or at least 

 is more often diagnosed. It can be reproduced in monkeys. 

 Bacilli appear in the blood in influenzal meningitis. 



By immunizing a goat with influenza bacilli Wallstein obtains a 

 serum which has a pronouncedly favorable effect upon the ex- 

 perimental disease in monkeys and promises some therapeutic 

 power for human beings. Its most important effect is to stimulate 

 phagocytosis in the cerebro- spiral fluid. 



No immunity results from infection. No leucocytosis occurs 

 during infection. Serum from infected individuals agglutinates 

 bacilli even if diluted 1-500. 



No artificial immunity can be produced but bacterins are some- 

 times used therapeutically. 



Bordet-Gengou Bacillus of Whooping Cough. This is a 

 very minute ovoid rod lying separately, varying from .8-1.5/4 long 

 and being .3/4 wide. No spores, no motility or flagella. Stains 

 poorly, best at ends; Gram negative. It may be cultivated from 

 expectoration early in the disease upon media containing glycer- 

 ine, potato, blood and agar. Aerobe, and grows best at 37 C. 

 There is an an endo-toxin. Infective for monkeys. The discoverers 

 claim this to be the cause of pertussis, because it will act as an 

 antigen and fix complement away from the hemolytic series. 



Conjunctivitis. There are two specific germs for conjunctivitis 

 separate from the gonococcus. They are the bacillus of Koch- 

 Weeks and that of Morax and Axenfeld. 



Koch- Weeks Bacillus. The organism of pink eye. This is 

 a minute, i.^nX-^/j. non-motile, Gram negative, sporeless, poorly 

 staining rod, very like the influenza bacillus. It is aerobic and non- 

 liquefying. It grows as minute, pearly, glistening, discrete colonies, 

 only upon agar of .5 percent strength. 



The Bacillus of Morax and Axenfeld. A non-motile, sporeless 

 diplo- rod; negative to Gram stain. Grows only in the presence of 

 serum or blood and liquefies the former. It is larger than the 

 Kock- Weeks bacillus, measuring up to 2/jt. 



