MEAT 269 



that some constituent part (such as jelly) of the manufactured article 

 or prepared dish is really the polluted portion. 



Bacteria associated with Meat-Poisoning 



The chief organisms, therefore, which have been considered as causally related to 

 meat (and " ptomaine ") poisoning are B. coli communis, B. enteritidis sporogenes* 

 B. enteritidis of Gaertner, and B. botulinus. The main facts respecting these organisms 

 must be mentioned here. 



(a) B. coli communis (see p. 46). 



(b) B. enteritidis sporogenes (see pp. 156 and 307). 



(c) B. enteritidis of Gaertner. Isolated by Gaertner in 1888 from flesh of 

 diseased cow which had caused illness in persons eating it. Characters similar to 

 B. typhosus (morphology, motility, and staining properties), but grows more rapidly 

 in gelatine; fewer flagella; ferments lactose and sometimes dextrose; does not 

 produce indol or coagulate milk ; positive neutral-red reaction ; in litmus whey or 

 litmus broth, acid is first produced, and then the medium becomes distinctly alkaline. 

 Virulent to rodents and small animals (gastro-intestinal symptoms, haemorrhagic 

 enteritis, and swelling of lymph follicles). B. enteritidis Derbiensis of Delepine is one 

 of the members of the Gaertner group of enteritidis bacilli. B. enteritidis possesses 

 no spores, and therefore cannot stand very high temperatures. It produces 

 agglutinating properties in the blood of the patient. 



(d) B. botulinus (Ermengem). This bacillus is held to be responsible for setting 

 up botulism. Van Ermengem describes, under the name of botulism, a state brought 

 about by the ingestion of various articles of food, such as ham, tinned or preserved 

 foods, oysters, mussels, etc., and which is characterised by comparatively slow 

 onset (twelve to twenty-four hours after infection), secretory troubles, paralysis of 

 certain muscles, particularly tongue and pharynx, dilatation of pupil, aphonia, 

 dysphagia, constipation, retention of urine, absence of unconsciousness and of fever, 

 etc. Van Ermengem has found that these symptoms were produced by a bacillus, 

 to which he has given the name of bacillus botulinus. Botulism differs considerably 

 from the more common form of food-poisoning with which we are acquainted in 

 England, and which is characterised by practically the same symptoms as those of 

 epidemic diarrhoea. B. botulinus is 4-9 fj. long and '9-12 /* broad; round, slowly 

 motile, 4-9 flagella. Polar spores ; killed in thirty minutes at 80 C. Liquefies 

 gelatine ; does not coagulate milk ; anaerobic ; in cultures often produces gas and 

 a sour, rancid odour. Pathogenic for guinea-pigs, rabbits, and the other small animals 

 (botulism). 



Preventive methods. Experience of meat-poisoning outbreaks 

 leads to the conclusion that the meat has contracted its poisonous 

 properties in either or both of two ways (a) putrefaction or unsound- 

 ness in the meat itself; (b) unclean manipulation or storage in 

 insanitary conditions. Generally there has also been insufficient 

 cooking. The methods of prevention are therefore obvious. Occasion- 

 ally tinned foods cause poisoning owing to metallic absorption, and 

 this must be differentiated from bacterial poisoning. 



There is another class of meat conditions related to disease, to 

 which reference must now be made, viz., certain conditions occurring 

 in fresh meat, joints, or carcases. It is well known that the meat 

 substance itself does not frequently contain injurious bacteria. 

 They may nevertheless occur in the organs, glands, and tissues 



