298 A MANUAL OF BACTERIOLOGY 



Other Diphtheria-like Bacilli 



As already mentioned, diphtheria-like bacilli are not infrequent 

 in wounds, pathological discharges and secretions. Some of them 

 may be positive with Neisser's stain. They are always non-virulent. 

 The fermentation reactions of some of these organisms will be found 

 in the Table on p. 292. 



Bacillus diphtherias columbarum 



Pigeon diphtheria is an infectious disease of pigeons, charac- 

 terised by the formation of diphtheritic -like membranes on the 

 tongue, fauces, and corners of the mouth ; occurs in extensive 

 epizootics from time to time. Loffler isolated a bacillus to which 

 he gave this name. It is short, with rounded ends, non-motile, does 

 not form spores, and does not stain by Gram's method. On gelatin 

 it forms a whitish growth without liquefaction, on agar a creamy 

 growth, and on potato a thin grey film. Milk is not curdled and is 

 unchanged in reaction. It is pathogenic for the mouse and pigeon, 

 but only slightly so for the fowl and guinea-pig. It is possible to 

 prepare a vaccine, and an anti-serum for the disease. 1 Recent 

 research has, however, suggested that the disease may be due to a 

 filter-passer. 2 



Diphtheritic roup of poultry is a different disease, and is stated 

 to be due to a protozoan parasite. 3 Macfadyen and the writer 4 

 found Klebs-Loffler-like organisms to be present in the mouths and 

 throats of healthy pigeons and fowls. These organisms resembled 

 the true Klebs -Loffler bacillus in their cultural reactions, but were 

 quite non-virulent to guinea-pigs (see Table, p. 292). 



The so-called diphtheria of calves is produced by an anaerobic 

 streptothrix. 



1 See Ann. de rinst. Pasteur, xv, 1901, p. 952. 



2 Dean and Marshall, Journ. of Path, and Bact., vol. xiii, 1908, p. 29. 



3 See also Gordon Sharp, Lancet, 1900, vol. ii, p. 18. 



4 Trans. Path. Soc. Lond., vol. li, 1900, p. 13, and Brit. Med. Journ., 

 1900, vol. i, p. 994. 



