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other microbes. For diagnostic purposes in the case of old cadavers he 

 therefore recommends a pernasal inoculation, which he practiced in the 

 following manner: The lower part of one of the nasal cavities of a 

 guinea pig is slightly wounded with a pair of sharp forceps or a needle, 

 however, in such a manner that very little blood is drawn. A small 

 piece, preferably of the spleen, is then grasped in fine forceps and in- 

 troduced into the side where the slight trauma has been produced, after 

 which it is well rubbed into the masal mucosa by rotatory motions of 

 the forceps. This method is certainly somewhat objectionable on account 

 of the danger of inducing a fit of sneezing in the animal operated upon, 

 with uncontrollable dissemination of the plague material. Zlatogoroff 

 himself considers this energetic procedure a "misstand," as he expresses 

 it, but he confesses that it is indispensable, as otherwise the test may 

 be negative in the presence of virulent plague bacilli. It also appears 

 that this author has not ruled out the possibility of producing by his 

 method in guinea pigs a disease which might simulate plague, a fallacy 

 which, according to all the testimony obtained in this matter, is impos- 

 sible by the cutaneous method. Zlatogoroft''s investigation, at any rate, 

 was not made with material derived from human cadavers, but with 

 pieces of organs from the decomposed bodies of animals infected experi- 

 mentally with plague. Since his publication has appeared after our 

 report was practically finished, we have not taken an opportunity to 

 try his method, and hence can not recommend it. 



We do not wish to create the impression that all the cultural 

 and inoculation experiments detailed above are necessary to arrive 

 at a reliable diagnosis of plague in each suspected case. On the 

 contrary, one familiar with plague can generally make a diagnosis 

 after the termination of the necropsy, as soon as the smears from 

 the organs have been examined microscopically. But in obscure 

 cases all of the steps mentioned above may be necessary, and none 

 of them should be omitted when a first-suspected case is to be 

 diagnosed in a plague-free locality where an incontestable diagnosis 

 is a necessity in justifying the protective and restrictive measures 

 which should be instituted in order to prevent the spread of an 

 infectious disease which at times many assume such destructive 

 pandemic proportions. 



