Upon the Pseudo- Diphtheria, etc. 31 



isms into the group of pseudo-diphtheria bacilli and the 

 Loffler group. 



De Martini (36) experimented with two cultures of the 

 pseudo-diphtheria bacillus, the one rendering neutial bouil- 

 lon acid, the other rendering it alkaline. The former did 

 not grow in fluid diphtheria antitoxin, while the latter 

 grew well, while both grew as well on coagulated antitoxin 

 as on ordinary coagulated blood serum. The L,6ffler ba- 

 cillus did not grow well in the fluid antitoxin, but grew 

 well after coagulation. He believes that the acid-produc- 

 ing pseudo-diphtheria bacillus is a degenerated Loffler 

 bacillus, while the non-acid producing bacillus is a differ- 

 ent form of organism. From his studies he is inclined to 

 the opinion that we are not dealing with simply modifica- 

 tions or varieties of the same form, but with forms of 

 bacilli, each having its own identity. 



Spronck (37) in a lengthy dissertation touches again on 

 the question previously discussed by him, on the differen- 

 tiation of the true and pseudo-diphtheria bacillus. He 

 states that the difference in growth claimed by Martini 

 and Nicolas in diphtheria antitoxin was not observed by 

 him, wherein his results coincide with those of C. Fraen- 

 kel, though he found diphtheria bacilli that grew poorly 

 on the serum, but there were others that grew without 

 difficulty. As the only method of establishing the true 

 character of a doubtful culture, he again advises the 

 use of the inoculation method with the serum. The 

 pseudo-bacilli produce a swelling of the subcutaneous 

 tissues in large doses ; even when previously injected 

 with serum, the true bacillus is without influence. 



Fraenkel (38) says that this tedious method of differen- 

 tiation is now no longer necessary since the introduction 

 of the method of double-staining by M. Neisser. He has 

 during the past few months used Neisser's method on a 

 large number of true and pseudo-diphtheria bacilli, and is 

 able to substantiate the statements of Neisser. Likewise, 



