192 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF FISHERIES. 
In brief, the results of their experiments are the following: ‘‘The 
oyster does not, under normal conditions, contain, either within its 
body or in the liquor inclosed by its shell, any microbe than can grow 
in phenolated gelatin or in phenol broth.” Three species of bacteria 
were isolated from normal oysters. ‘*A minute motile bacillus, capa- 
ble of liquefying gelatin very rapidly,” is ‘‘ by far the most abundant 
micro-organism in the ordinary oyster.” ‘‘ Occcasionally only, a spore- 
forming, motile bacillus is also obtained, which corresponds culturally 
to B. vulgatus. A nonliquefying bacillus is, too, as a rule, present, 
which differs culturally from &. coli in the circumstance that it will 
not grow in broth at 37° C. The number of microbes of the above 
sorts present in the liquor and in the body of the oyster varies greatly 
in different samples; of oysters from the same batch, some afford few, 
some innumerable colonies to the gelatin-plate culture test. Having 
satisfied myself in the above sense that bacteria of excremental origin 
are not, in the ordinary course, apt to be contained within oysters, I 
set myself to ascertain whether AB. coli and LB. typhosus were not dis- 
coverable in oysters * * * from sources under more or less sus- 
picion of sewage contamination.” 
The media used for these tests were phenol broth and gelatin. The 
results of the examination show that ‘‘ Oysters from a few out of 
numerous batches derived from sources where they did appear to be 
exposed to risk of sewage contamination were found to exhibit colon 
bacilli. In one case where the circumstances were especially sus- 
picious, Eberth’s typhoid bacillus was found in the mingled body 
and liquor of the oyster.” Though Doctor Klein regards the presence 
of colon organisms in oysters as an indication of sewage contamina- 
tion, he was not able to show a constant relation between sewage con- 
tamination of the water and the presence of these organisms in sbell- 
fish. Certain batches of oysters from apparently polluted waters were 
found to contain B. col/, while other lots from apparently equally 
polluted sources did not give positive reactions for this bacillus. 
In 1894 was published the report of Doctor Conn’s careful investi- 
gation of the famous outbreak of typhoid fever, which occurred at 
Wesleyan University in October of that year. The account of this 
epidemic is familiar to all, and only the main facts of the case will be 
referred to at this time. On October 12 seven college fraternities 
had their initiation ceremonies and celebrated in the usual way with a 
supper. Eight days after several students were reported sick, with a 
moderate degree of fever, and shortly after November 1 twenty-three 
cases of typhoid fever had developed. Investigation proved beyond a 
shadow of doubt that the water supply was above suspicion and that 
the sanitary condition of the boarding and lodging houses was perfect. 
All the men affected were members of three fraternities which had 
obtained their oysters from a local dealer. One other fraternity had 
