342 A MANUAL OF BACTERIOLOGY 



administered by the mouth or the rectum. Hewlett was unable 

 to detect any absorption of tetanus antitoxin from the stomach 

 or rectum, nor Sternberg of diphtheria antitoxin from the rectum, 

 of rabbits. Blumenau and Dzerzhgovsky could in no instance 

 secure immunity in animals by oral administration of diphtheria 

 antitoxin, nor could any antitoxin be detected in the blood of 

 animals so treated (Eoussky Vratch, March 9, 1913). 



Pseudo -diphtheria and Diphtheroid Bacilli 



Diphtheria-like bacilli are not uncommon on the skin, 

 in wounds and in pathological exudates, as from the 

 urethra, etc., and in the throats of pigeons, fowls and cats. 

 Cleland notes the frequent presence of a diphtheroid 

 organism in surgical wounds in children. It resembles a 

 small diphtheria bacillus, but is non- virulent to the guinea- 

 pig, and ferments glucose, Isevulose, cane-sugar and 

 galactose. It produces no change in milk and does not 

 ferment lactose, maltose, mannitol and dulcitol. 



In lymphadenoma or Hodgkin's disease, by cultivation 

 on an egg-medium, Bunting l has grown a pleomorphic 

 diphtheroid bacillus which is Gram-positive and non- 

 acid-fast. By inoculation into monkeys apparently 

 typical Hodgkin's disease can be produced with this 

 organism. Diphtheroid organisms have also been isolated 

 from leprous nodules (see " Leprosy "). 



In cultures made from the throat and nose for 

 diagnostic purposes, various so-called pseudo-diphtheria 

 bacilli are met with, sometimes associated with the 

 Klebs-Loffler bacillus, sometimes not. They are found 

 in various anginal conditions, in scarlet fever, and occa- 

 sionally in well persons, and are non -pathogenic to guinea- 

 pigs. The term was originally used by Loffler, and by 

 priority should be reserved for the organism described 

 by him under this name. Roux and Yersin, Abbott 



1 Journ. Amer. Med. Assoc., Ixii, 1914, p. 516. 



