162 PATHOGENIC BACTERIA 



These two groups, the paracolons and paratyphoids (see page 

 116), are called the intermediates between the true typhoids 

 and colons. Their cultivation is performed as outlined for 

 the colon bacillus. The typical species of this group is the 

 Bacillus enteritidis of Gartner or the meat-poisoning organism. 



The disease produced by this bacterium is usually very 

 acute, but in infections by some members of this group the 

 disease may last nearly as long as paratyphoid fever. The 

 bacteria are present in meat, probably within the animal 

 before slaughter. In Europe where the refrigerating systems 

 are less complete than in this country, meat passes from the 

 butcher to the consumer directly, and therefore there may be 

 epidemics when infected cattle are slaughtered. 



The bacteria pass into the intestines, are absorbed by 

 their walls, and pass into the blood stream. The infection 

 gives diarrhea of the typhoid or cholera type, prostration, and 

 sometimes delirium. The disease is usually transmitted only 

 by meat in the form of cuts or as sausage, and these foods 

 are unaltered in color and taste by the presence of the 

 bacteria. 



The toxin is peculiar in that it resists cooking sufficient to 

 destroy the life of the bacilli and drying or smoking does not 

 diminish its power. It is an endotoxin. The bacillus may 

 form pus, and the author has seen it as the cause of a diffuse 

 pelvic inflammation. When injected into animals the para- 

 colon bacilli are capable of giving rise to a fatal septicemia 

 with acute inflammations, hemorrhages, and collapse. The 

 bacilli are found chiefly by examination of the stools or by 

 cultivation of the circulating blood or material from abscesses. 

 Infective material should be rendered innocuous by the means 

 outlined for the colon and typhoid bacilli (p. 114). 



A very important means of diagnosis with all the infections 

 of the typhocolon group is the agglutination test. These 

 congeners produce agglutinins having some affinity for all 

 members of the group. The method of use in this test consists 

 in finding that member of the group that will be clumped by 



