174 MANUAL OF POISONOUS PLANTS 



Bacillus tetani, Fliigge 



Disease produced. Tetanus, or lock-jaw. 



Animals infected. Man, white mouse, rabbit, guinea pig, mouse, rat, horse, 

 to a less degree cattle and most other warm blooded 

 mammals. Most birds, amphibians, and reptiles are 

 I y p immune. 



I / _ I Pathogenesis. There are no gross characteristic 



/ anatomic changes, but microscopic degenerative lesions 



/ / Jv may be found in the ganglionic cells. The disease is 

 I - characterized usually by a tetanus or rigidity of mus- 



/cles. 

 Poisonous properties. A tetanus toxin is pro- 

 duced in quantities in media. It is believed to con- 

 Fig. 30. Tetanus Bacillus, tain two principles ; the first of which, the more im- 

 ^ods lUS a tet Vegei^.?ve eS stage portant, affects the nerves, and is called tetanospas- 

 b. Spore stage. After Ab- m in ; the second which is hemolytic in its action is 

 called tetanolysin. The toxin is destroyed by gastric 

 and pancreatic digestion. It has a strong affinity for 



nervous tissue ; in test tube, practically all of the toxin will become fixed. It 

 is absorbed in the body by the motor ends of the nerves and passes through 

 this by means of the axis cylinders to the ganglionic cells. 



Immunity. Natural immunity is probably in part at least, phagocytic in 

 nature, but the presence of a toxin in the blood or in the body causes the 

 production of the anti-toxin. The serum of animals immunized by toxin in- 

 jections, contains quantities of this anti-toxin, so that it is used in immunization 

 against, and in the cure of tetanus. 



Bacillus botulinus, Von Ermengen 



Diseases produced. Botulism, or meat poisoning. 



Animals infected. Man, principally. 



Animals susceptible. Guinea pig. 



Animals immune. Dog and rat. botulinus. After Jordan. 



Pathogenesis. The ingestion of meat containing bacillus botulinus is fol- 

 lowed, in from a day to a day and a half, by salivation, ptosis, bulbar paralysis, 

 and death in from 25 to 50 per cent of the cases. It produces degeneration 

 of glandular organs anid vascular endothelium and consequent hemorrhages. 



Poisonous properties. The organism growing in meat produces a character- 

 istic toxin and it is this toxin already formed which produces disease, and not 

 the proliferation of the organism after gaining entrance to the body. It has 

 been found in decomposed hams, and sausages. The toxin differs from that 

 of diphtheria and tetanus in that it is not digested by the gastric juice. It has 

 a special affinity for nervous tissues, but is not so selective as tetanus toxin. 



Immunity. Immunization with the toxin results in the formation of an 

 anti-toxic serum which may be used in immunizing against the disease, or in 

 curing. However, this disease is so rare that it is of no commercial importance 

 in this country. 



Bacillus alvei, Chesire & Cheyne 



Disease produced. European foul brood. 

 Animals infected. Honey bees. 



