150 



BACTERIOLOGY OF THE EYE 



FIG. 18. CONJUNCTIVAL SECRETION FROM A 

 CASE OF DACRYOCYSTITIS WITH IN- 

 FLUENZA AND XEROSE BACILLI. 



The cultures are very toxic for rabbits, and, according to Cantani, a certain 

 egree of bactericidal immunity can be produced in them. This, however, is 



denied by others (Delius and 

 Kolle). 



The variety described by Pfeiffer 

 as the pseudo - influenza bacillus, 

 which sometimes forms long coiled 

 threads in cultures, is considered by 

 most authors to be the influenza 

 bacillus. Similarly, the Gram-nega- 

 tive ' polbacteria ' found in whooping- 

 cough, 1 measles, and other infec- 

 tious diseases, are very closely re- 



* ^t lated, if, indeed, they are not identi- 



V^Cfli . M cal ; as are the other Bacteria with 



the characteristics of the influenza 

 bacilli, which are so widespread in 

 the nasal mucous membrane, and 

 occasionally occur as saprophytes 

 on other mucous surfaces. 



Presence in the Eye. In the 

 purulent secretion of trachoma L. 

 Miiller found bacilli, which he 

 showed to resemble influenza bacilli. 

 These bacilli occurred frequently, though not constantly, in trachoma, but Miiller 

 did not identify them with Pfeiffer's bacillus. The individuals affected showed no 



definite symptoms of influenza. 



There was no epidemiological re- 

 lationship either to influenza. L. 

 Miiller definitely stated that his 

 bacillus only grew with certainty 

 on blood media, especially those 

 derived from pigeon's blood, and 

 that it was especially luxuriant in 

 symbiosis with certain Stajihylo- 

 cocci. He made a careful study 

 of the Koch-Weeks bacillus, and 

 rightly distinguished his bacillus, 

 and also the influenza bacillus, 

 from that organism ; for the latter 

 (Koch-Weeks) generally requires a 

 serum medium, and does not grow 

 upon pigeon's blood, though this is 

 not constant (vide infra Luerssen) ; 

 it is also more slender and longer. 



L. Miiller and Weichselbaum state 

 that the Koch -Weeks colonies on 

 serum agar are rather smaller than 

 those of the influenza bacillus, and 

 that their margins when under x 80 



magnification appear slightly crinkled, in contrast to the smooth uniform influenza 

 colonies (according to Luerssen this is not a constant difference). 



1 Of. Jochmann, Zeit. /. Hyg., 1903, xliv. 498; Auerlwli, Zeit. f. Hi/'j. u. Lifcki., 

 Bd. xlvn. ; Klieneberger, Deutsche Mcd. Woch., 1906, p. 1580. 





FIG. 19. MICROPHOTO OF A SECRETION 



PREPARATION BY BYMOWITSCH AND 



MATSEHINSKY. x 1,000. 



' Influenza. ' 



