CHAPTEE XXXVI. 

 BACILLUS TETANI. 



Introduction. 



Section I. Experimental inoculation, p. 536. 



1. Inoculation of soil or pus, p. 537. 2. Inoculation of pure cultures, p. 537. 



3. Inoculation of spores, p. 538. 

 Section II. Morphology, p. 539. 



1. Microscopical appearance and staining reactions, p. 539. 2. Cultural charac- 

 teristics, p. 540. 

 Section III. Biological properties, p. 541. 



1. Vitality and virulence, p. 541. 2. Toxin, p. 541. 3. Vaccination, p. 544. 



4. Serum therapy, p. 545. 5. Agglutination, p. 548. 



Section IV. Detection, isolation and identification of the tetanus bacillus, p. 548. 



Bacillus botulinus. 



TETANUS is a disease which affects not only man but all species of domestic 

 animals and is due to the bacillus of tetanus discovered by Nicolaier. 



Tetanus in horses, asses, cows, etc. generally follows wounds of the foot. Tetanus 

 has been known to affect a number of horses in an almost epizootic manner after 

 castration, the organism in these cases being conveyed by the instruments employed 

 in the operation. 



Tetanus in man is known to follow accidental wounds or surgical operations : the 

 organism having been introduced at the time of the injury. 



Much has also been said about idiopathic tetanus which develops in the apparent 

 absence of all solution of continuity of the integuments. These so-called idiopathic 

 cases are due either to an infection '. rough the alimentary canal (Siisse) or more 

 likely to the introduction of the organism some time previously through a wound 

 which has since healed and been forgotten. Vaillard and Rouget have shown that 

 spores introduced into the tissues can remain dormant for a very long time, ger- 

 minating when the conditions become favourable, and thus setting up a disease 

 which would appear to be spontaneous. 



The spores of the tetanus bacillus are very widely distributed outside the 

 body. If a guinea-pig be inoculated with garden soil, or with dust or mud 

 from the street it almost always dies either from tetanus or malignant oedema 

 (Nicolaier). The tetanus bacillus is also found in the contents of the large 

 gut and in the excreta of many animals. 



SECTION I. EXPERIMENTAL INOCULATION. 



Mice, rats and guinea-pigs are very susceptible to tetanus, rabbits less so, 

 while dogs are very difficult to infect, and pigeons and fowls are naturally 

 immune to the disease. 



Susceptible animals may be infected in many ways. 



