670 A MANUAL OF BACTERIOLOGY 



a coccus which induced a rapidly spreading palsy on 

 subdural inoculation into rabbits. 



. 



Encephalitis Lethargica 



This is a disease first accurately described in 1918, and 

 characterised by lethargy and stupor, tremor, diplopia 

 and paralysis of cranial nerves. The earlier cases were mis- 

 taken for botulism ; then it was supposed to be a cerebral 

 form of poliomyelitis. It differs, however, clinically, 

 pathologically and epidemiologically from the latter. 

 The organism is unknown, but the disease has been 

 transmitted by inoculation of the nerve matter into 

 monkeys and rabbits by Mclntosh 1 and by Levaditi and 

 Harvier. 



Typhus Fever, Trench Fever, Rocky Mountain 

 Spotted Fever 



1. Typhus fever is communicable to the chimpanzee 

 and to some other monkeys. The blood is infective 

 from the onset and continues so until the day after the 

 temperature becomes normal. The disease is transmitted 

 by the body-louse and possibly by the head-louse. The 

 excreta of infected lice may be infective. 



Neither the blood from a mild case, nor a mild attack 

 itself, produces much immunity. On the other hand, a 

 severe infection induces considerable immunity. 



Bacillar, diplo-bacillar and coccal forms, varying from 

 Gram-positive to Gram -negative, have been isolated by 

 many observers in typhus fever (Rabinowich, Feurth, 

 Muller, Hort and Ingram, Topley 2 ). Plotz 3 isolated a 

 small pleomorphic Gram -positive anaerobic bacillus. The 

 method of isolation was to culture 3 c.c. of blood in 



1 Brit. Journ. Exper. PathoL, vol. i, 1920, p. 257. 



2 Journ. Roy. Army Med. Corps, 1915, p. 215 (Bibliog .). 



3 Journ. Infectious Diseases, vol. xvii, 1915, No. I. 



