164 



Chapter VI 



phages seize vibrios that are evidently living and uninjured, which, 

 sometimes, may be observed inside the vacuoles of the leucocytic 

 contents exhibiting very lively movements. Once ingested, however, 

 many of the vibrios become transformed into round granules. This 

 change of shape is constant when inside microphages, but is com- 

 pletely absent when inside macrophages (Figs. 34 and 35). Finally, 



Fig. 34. — Microphage of guinea- 

 pig filled with cholera vibrios, 

 the majority of which are 

 transformed into granules. 



Fig. 35. — Macrophage of guinea- 

 pig filled with cholera vibrios 

 not transformed into granules. 



[174] the phagocytosis becomes complete, and the organism gets rid of the 

 vibrios solely by means of this reaction. Even seven hours after 

 injection of the vibrios, when the peritoneal fluid, crammed with 

 leucocytes, has become thick and turbid, there still remain a few 

 scattered vibrios which always retain their shape and their normal 

 activity. A drop of this exudation, maintained at 38° C. outside the 

 organism, gives, in a few hours, an abundant culture of very active 

 vibrios. It must, therefore, be concluded that the fluid part of the 

 exudation was powerless to destroy the vibrios or even to render 

 them motionless, whilst the living leucocytes have shown themselves 

 capable of ingesting and digesting them. The peritoneal exudation, 

 withdrawn at a period when it no longer contains any free vibrios, 

 still gives cultures of the organism for some time. Soon, however, 

 there comes a period when the inoculated exudation remains sterile, 

 this proving that the vibrios, ingested in a living state by the 

 phagocytes, have at length been killed by the microphages and 

 macrophages. 



