CH. vni] TRANSMUTATION IN THE LIVING BODY 113 



a bacteriological examination demonstrated the absence of 

 the nieningococcus and the presence of Mic. catarrhalis 

 (Dunn and Gordon, 1 905). Conversely, the nieningococcus may 

 cause a simple coryza (20th century Diet, of Med.). Sometimes 

 a "mixed infection" occurs; thus, Arkwright (1909) describes 

 a case in which Mic. catarrhalis was isolated from the 

 heart's blood after death although the typical nieningococcus 

 was proved to be present before death in the cerebrospinal 

 fluid. 



Prof. McDonald (1908) has commented upon the frequency 

 with which, in cerebrospinal fever, leptothrix forms are 

 found in the spinal fluid and compares this with the similar 

 frequency of leptothrix forms in the pharynx. He considers 

 these leptothrices to be merely secondary invaders but regards 

 their presence as confirmatory of the opinion, now generally 

 held, that the route of invasion of the nieningococcus in 

 cases of cerebrospinal fever is from the nasopharynx. If the 

 appearance of these "camp followers" tends to support the 

 opinion as to the locality from which the regiment was 

 drawn, still further light is thrown on the question by the 

 presence of "disbanded soldiers" in the form of non- virulent 

 meningococci in the nasopharynx of healthy persons. Out of 

 a total of 810 healthy persons, examined by different observers 

 all over the world, the nieningococcus was isolated from the 

 nose in 164 cases (Hachtel and Hay ward, 1911). We have 

 already referred to the fact that organisms normally non- 

 pathogenic may become pathogenic when growing and multi- 

 plying in inflammatory exudations (vide p. 79). Cerebro- 

 spinal fever is a disease more particularly of young children 

 and it is in children that Mic. catarrhalis is most often 

 discovered as an inhabitant of the pharynx in health. It has 

 been observed that an attack of cerebrospinal fever very 

 often commences with a purulent nasal discharge. The question 

 arises, does this area of suppurative inflammation in the 

 vicinity of its natural habitation afford a training ground, so 

 to speak, for the peaceful Micrococcus catarrhalis preparatory 

 to its entry upon a military career in the uniform of the 

 nieningococcus? 



D. 8 



