84 STUDY AND IDENTIFICATION OF BACTERIA 



An antitoxin which it is stated has therapeutic value in botulism has been pre- 

 pared in the usual way by Kempner. Without serum treatment death occurs in 

 about 40% of cases and takes place between twenty-four and forty-eight hours. 



The bacillus has been isolated from sausage and ham. It is a rare cause of food 

 poisoning, most of such cases being the result of paratyphoid or enteritidis infections. 

 It is a large bacillus 5 to ic/xXiM- It is slightly motile and stains by Gram. 

 It produces gas in glucose media. It grows best at 22 and only slightly at 37 

 hence it is dangerous only from its soluble toxin, the bacilli not developing to any 

 extent in the body. 



For this reason botulism patients are not a source of danger, it is the infected 

 meat alone which causes the disease. On the contrary where the meat poisoning 

 is due to the Gartner or paratyphoid group infection may take place from the 

 patient's discharges. Botulism is an intoxication, not an infection. 



When the toxin is introduced, it requires a period of incubation of 

 twelve to twenty hours. Symptoms of gastrointestinal disorder may 

 come on shortly after the ingestion of the toxin containing food, these 

 however are not the specific manifestations, as are the eye symptoms, 

 etc. 



An important point is that ham may not appear decomposed and yet contain 

 many bacilli and much toxin. It is a very potent toxin as little as Ho 00 

 c.c. may kill a guinea-pig. In man the toxin is apparently absorbed from the 

 alimentary canal, thus differing from most toxins as well as venoms which are 

 usually harmless when introduced by mouth. 



For diagnosis inject an infusion of the ham or sausage which was eaten of into a 

 guinea-pig, and characteristic pupillary symptoms with death by cardiac and 

 respiratory failure will result. 



Cultures may be made in glucose agar. 



The culture is disrupted by gas. Incubation at room temperature and in the 

 dark is necessary. There is a rancid odor. The characteristic point is the pro- 

 duction of a powerful soluble toxin which produces symptoms when no bacilli are 

 present. 



B. Tetani (Nicolaier, 1885; Kitasato, 1889). This is the most im- 

 portant 'organism of the anaerobic spore bearers. Its characteristics 

 are the tetanic symptoms produced by the toxin and the strictly termi- 

 nal drum-stick spores. 



Spores are difficult to find in material from wounds infected with tetanus, but 

 readily develop in cultures. See notes under general consideration of pathogenic 

 anaerobes. Prior to the formation of spores the organism is a long thin bacillus 

 (4Xo.4/u). It is motile and Gram-positive. It liquefies gelatin slowly and does 

 not coagulate milk. The stab culture in glucose agar shows pine-tree growth. 

 Colonies on agar plates show as fleecy clouds and microscopically as felted filaments. 



Theobald Smith recommends growing it in fermentation tubes containing ordinary 

 bouillon, but to which a piece of the liver or spleen of a rabbit or guinea-pig has been 





