242 BACTERIOLOGY OF THE EYE 



These bacilli are considered by many (W. Kruse and others) to form with the so- 

 called ozsena bacillus (Kleinenberger) the group of the Bacillus mucosus capsidatus. 

 These bacilli, as a matter of fact, are very closely allied (cf. Abel, ' The Capsulated 

 Bacilli'; ' Wassermann-Kolle Handbuch,' 1903, iii., p. 870). Other closely related 

 bacilli are the bacillus of rhinoscleroma (cf. 'The Lids,' p. 73) and the B. lactis 

 aerogenes, which is of no interest in ophthalmology. 



Between the recognized members of this group there are many intermediate 

 forms. There is very little difference in morphology or biology between Fried- 

 lander's bacillus, the ozsena bacillus, and the rhinoscleroma bacillus. Their capacity 

 for forming agglutinin, and being themselves agglutinated, has furnished no clinical 

 tests ; we therefore cannot differentiate them with certainty. The ozaena bacillus 

 is not known to have any definite significance, and there is still much doubt as to 

 the rhinoscleroma bacillus, which is found in the nasal cavity under normal 

 conditions. These bacilli come under our notice when we consider the rare 

 causes of catarrh. 



Lacrymal disease and catarrh of the conjunctiva are very com- 

 monly present along with ozaena. Terson and Gabrielides therefore 

 supposed that the ozaena bacillus of Lowenberg and Abel must be 

 common upon the conjunctiva, and must play a considerable part in 

 infection of epithelial wounds, operations, etc. These writers were 

 confirmed in their opinion by the fact that in twelve cases of ozaena 

 they found these bacilli in the form of Gram-negative encapsulated 

 rods, of varying size, and with the characteristic cultural peculiarities. 

 A case of infection of the cornea passing on to panophthalmitis also 

 showed the same organism. 



Since then our views have changed concerning the Lowenberg-Abel 

 bacillus ; although it certainly does occur very often in the nose, we 

 cannot attribute to it any causal connexion with ozaena. 1 The very 

 strong resemblance if not, indeed, identity between this organism and 

 the Pneumobacillus of FriedlJinder is gradually becoming better known. 

 Their morphology, their staining, and almost all their cultural 

 peculiarities are common, and their pathogenicity for animals is 

 identical. Gourfein states that the only differences are that the 

 Pneumobacillus coagulates milk, has a different smell in culture, and 

 can grow on acid media differences which are not sufficient to justify 

 a separation of the two forms. At any rate, the two bacilli are closely 

 related and belong to a common group, and when we would determine 

 the significance of such organisms in ophthalmology, it is as well 

 to treat them together. The presence of these bacilli in the eye does 

 not necessitate the occurrence of ozaena in the nose. 



The supposition of Terson and Gabrielides is not borne out by the 

 facts ; on the contrary, the Pneumobacillus is rarely found to be a cause 

 of infection in the eye. Even in pus from the lacrymal sac in patients 



1 Cf. Hasslauer, Zent<. f. Bakt., 1904, Bd. xxxiv., Ref., p. 353. 



