660 A MANUAL OF BACTERIOLOGY 



Gordon 1 found that the Streptococcus scarlatina or conglo- 

 meratus of Klein differs distinctly in its cultural characters from 

 other varieties of streptococci, and that it occurs constantly in 

 the mucous secretion on the surface of the tonsils and fauces, 

 and in the nasal, but not in the aural, discharge in scarlatina. 

 It is also present in a somewhat modified form in the blood and 

 tissues post mortem. It was not found in four non-scarlatinal 

 throats examined. Gordon concluded, therefore, that the 8. 

 scarlatince or conglomerates is the " specialised and essential 

 agent " of scarlatina. It is pathogenic to mice. 



Cumpston 2 investigated the biological characters of 101 

 streptococci isolated from scarlet fever, applying Gordon's tests. 

 The majority corresponded with the 8. longus type. 



Baginsky and Sommerfeld, Class and Jaques also isolated 

 streptococcoid organisms in scarlatina, but they possessed no very 

 distinctive cultural characters. 



Bernhardt ascribed scarlet fever to a filter- passer, but his 

 experiments were inconclusive. 



Mallory detected small bodies, 2-7 /x in diameter, staining 

 delicately but sharply with methylene-blue, and occurring in and 

 between the epithelial cells of the epidermis and in the lymph- 

 vessels and spaces of the corium. He regards these as protozoa, 

 but others consider them to be degenerated leucocytes (see p. 662). 



The blood in the early stages of scarlatina gives the Wassermann 

 reaction if a very sensitive antigen be used. 



It is remarkable how frequently diphtheria complicates scar- 

 latina. 



Hydrophobia 



Hydrophobia attacking man is invariably contracted 

 through the bite of an animal affected with the disease. 

 In the lower animals the disease is termed rabies, and is 

 most frequent in the dog, but the cat, fox, wolf, jackal, 

 deer, horse, ox and sheep are also subject to it, and other 

 animals can be infected by inoculation. The disease 



1 (a) Rep. Med. Off. Loc. Gov. Board for 1898-99, p. 480 ; (b) ibid, for 

 1899-1900, p. 385. 



2 Journ. ofHyg., vol. vii, 1907, p. 599. 



