554 A MANUAL OF BACTERIOLOGY 



Green * rapidly prepares vaccine lymph by killing off the extra- 

 neous organisms with chloroform vapour. 



Blaxall 2 has more recently used oil of cloves as a sterilising agent 

 in the preparation of calf lymph. 



Malignant Disease 



The analogies between carcinoma and sarcoma and many infec- 

 tive diseases have led investigators to search for micro-organisms 

 in these conditions. 



Bacteria have been repeatedly looked for, but Shattock was 

 unable to isolate any bacterial form from malignant disease. Doyen 

 isolated a micrococcus (M. neoformans, p. 232), but, though fre- 

 quently present, it is not causative. 



A great impetus was given to the study of parasites in malignant 

 disease by the publication of a paper by Russell. He observed, 

 by certain methods of staining, small corpuscles within the epithelial 

 cells. They were spherical in shape, 4 to 10 /z in diameter, occurring 

 singly or in groups, were apparently homogeneous, and surrounded 

 by a capsule. Russell regarded these structures as belonging to 

 the " sprouting fungi " (Blastomycetes), and they have since been 

 known by the name of " fuchsin bodies " or " Russell's corpuscles." 



Subsequently structures were observed within the epithelial 

 cells of carcinoma which were regarded by many investigators as 

 parasitic protozoa. 3 These structures are round or ovoid, 2 ^ to 

 10 fj, in diameter, with a very distinct outline, as though encapsuled, 

 and clear refractile contents in which is a smaller body of variable 

 size analogous to a nucleus (Fig. 66, a). Occasionally the refractile 

 contents present a radial striation or a granulation. 



These bodies are usually single, but may number as many as 

 eight or ten, and sometimes they invade the epithelial nucleus. 

 The Ruffer's or Plimmer's body, however, is a structure probably 

 analogous to the archoplastic vesicle of the cells of reproductive 

 tissue (Fig. 66, 6). Save for the presence of these structures, 

 there is no proof that protozoa are present in, or are the cause of, 

 carcinoma. 



Another hypothesis of the nature of malignant disease is that 

 it is due to a blastomycetic infection (see p. 462). 



Washbourn and others have observed infective venereal tumours 



1 Rep. Med. Off. Loc. Gov. Board for 1900-01, p. 639. 



2 Ibid. 191 1-12, p. 361. 



3 See Ruffer and Walker, Journ. Path, and Bact., vol. i, 1893, p. 395. 



