DIPHTHERIA 275 



adrenals, while the renal epithelium and the liver-cells 

 undergo cloudy degeneration. 



Inoculated into the trachea of the guinea-pig, rabbit, 

 and chicken, pseudo-membranes form, and the same occurs 

 with the superficially injured conjunctiva and vagina. It 

 is stated by some that the diphtheria bacillus does not 

 develop on a normal mucous membrane this must first 

 be injured, and the staphylococcus and streptococcus, so 

 often associated with the diphtheria bacillus in the human 

 subject, may play a part in preparing the way for infection 

 by damaging the cells and tissues. Rabbits usually live 

 somewhat longer than the guinea-pig after inoculation 

 and paralysis frequently develops if life is prolonged, 

 simulating the post-diphtheritic paralysis of man. 



The question of the occurrence of the Klebs-Lofner 

 bacillus in the lower animals is of considerable importance 

 with regard to the spread of the disease and the conveyance 

 of infection. The so-called diphtheritic affections of 

 pigeons, poultry, and calves (referred to more in detail 

 below, p. 298) are as a rule diseases quite distinct from 

 human diphtheria, and are not communicable to man. 

 A number of observers assert, however, that cats may 

 suffer from the disease, which in these animals runs a 

 chronic course, and is associated with bronchitis, lobular 

 pneumonia, nephritis, and wasting. Klein 1 points out 

 that not only are cats liable to the disease in houses where 

 diphtheria has occurred, but that a similar infectious disease 

 exists naturally among cats, and symptoms similar to this 

 natural disease may be produced by inoculating healthy 

 cats with the Klebs-Loffler bacillus. The diphtheria bacillus 

 has also been isolated from the horse. 2 



Several epidemics of diphtheria have been traced to an 

 infected milk supply. In some instances the infection 



1 Rep. Med. Officer LOG. Gov. Board for 1889, p. 162. 



2 Cobbett, Centr. f. Bakt., xxviii, No. 19, p. 631. 



