CHAPTER XLIV. 

 THE ENTEROCOCCUS. 



Introduction. 



Section I. Experimental inoculation, p. 627. 



Section II. Morphology and biological properties, p. 628. 



Section III. Detection and isolation of the enterococcus, p. 629. 



SEVERAL years ago Escherich, Tavel, Eguet, recorded the finding of 

 encapsulated streptococci in the intestines of new-born children, and in 

 1894-7 Besson described a new " encapsulated streptococcus " which he had 

 isolated from two cases of post-typhoid suppuration (purulent pleurisy, 

 multiple suppurative arthritis). These organisms are identical with the 

 Enterococcus, of which Thiercelin gave the classical description. 



The Enterococcus is a saprophytic micro-organism which under certain 

 conditions may become pathogenic : it is widely distributed and occurs in 

 the alimentary canal, in the mouth, nose and pharynx, on the skin, in the 

 vagina, etc. 



It plays an important role in the enteritis of children and adults as well 

 as in infections of the liver ; it is also the cause of some cases of meningitis, 

 broncho-pneumonia, etc., as well as of some of the complications of enteric 

 fever and tuberculosis. 



Rosenthal has described a disease of the lungs due to this organism, characterized 

 by a pseudo-lobar broncho-pneumonia accompanied with severe general symptoms, 

 and followed by a condition of cachexia which may lead to it being mistaken for 

 pulmonary tuberculosis. 



SECTION I. EXPERIMENTAL INOCULATION. 



The virulence of the enterococcus is very variable : often the organism 

 is totally devoid of pathogenic power. 



Mice are very susceptible to infection ; sub-cutaneous inoculation of a 

 virulent strain leads to death from septicaemia in 24r-48 hours. The organism 

 may be found in the blood, internal organs and in the diarrhosal contents of 

 the intestine. 



Rabbits are less susceptible though intra-venous inoculation of a virulent 

 strain produces a fatal septicaemia : intestinal lesions are always present 

 post mortem. The enterococcus isolated by Besson from one of his cases of 

 post-typhoid suppuration produced multiple suppurative arthritis on intra- 

 venous inoculation into rabbits and killed the animals in a fortnight to 3 

 weeks. 



