138 IMPORTANT VARIETIES OF FISSION-FUNGI. 



succinic, acetic, propionic, normal butyric, and caproic acid, methyl- 

 amin, trimethylamin, collidin, but no toxins. 



(d) Toxin production : Upon albuminous nutrient media 

 streptococci produce toxins, soluble in water and precip- 

 itated by alcohol. To collect them the cultures are killed 

 with chloroform or filtered through porcelain. Large 

 doses of the metabolic products cause suppuration and 

 fever, and even death. This appears always to be only 

 the action of protein. 



Occurrence. — (a) Outside the body : In soil, canal- 

 water, once in a well (Landmann, C. B. xiv, 431), in 

 the air of operating rooms, etc. 



(6) In the healthy body: In mouth, nasal cavities, 

 vagina, not rarely cervix uteri ; at times, moreover, in a 

 virulent form. 



(c) In diseased human organism: The streptococcus is 

 capable of causing a large number of diseases, namely, in- 

 flammation and suppuration in all parts of the body. It 

 causes especially often the following diseases : Erysipelas, 

 phlegmonous abscess, 1 lymphangitis, follicular angina, 

 bronchitis, impetigo contagiosa, cellular pneumonia (Fink- 

 ler), pyemia, septicemia, and puerperal fever. More 

 rarely, pleuritis, pericarditis, meningitis, enteritis, 2 etc., 

 some cases of osteomyelitis, elephantiasis nostras (Sab- 

 ouraud). 



Recently, Escherich with his pupils has emphasized the significance 

 of the streptococci in the diarrheas of children. The form isolated 

 from such cases can not be imagined as a new sharply defined variety, 

 in spite of slight deviations, but belongs in the division of the Strept. 

 pyogenes or lanceolatus. Escherich, Th., " Ueber Streptokokkenen- 

 teritis im Sauglingsalter. ' ' Separatabdruck aus Jahrbuch f . Kinder- 

 heilkunde, N. F., Bd. xlix, 1899. 



It is found in the blood and urine rather often, either 

 with or without symptoms of a general disease. 



The following also certainly depend upon Strept. pyo- 



1 In phlegmons and abscesses more often the staphylococcus (Micr. 

 pyogenes) is present, or a mixture of both. 



2 In the institute for infectious diseases in Berlin, Beck described a 

 case of streptococcus infection (intestine, blood, viscera) that caused 

 death in three days and presented during its course the typical picture 

 of Asiatic cholera (C. B. xi, 632). Compare Tavel, de Cerenville, 

 ete. (C. B. xviii, 547). 



