152 STRONG AND TEAGUE. 



animals died of typical plague infection; the first, four days after in- 

 fection; the second, seven days after infection; and the third, eight days 

 after infection. In addition to this organism on the plate, there was also 

 present a small bacillus which has a very delicate colony and which 

 usually does not decolorize by Gram's stain. This organism was en- 

 countered previously on other plates and is not the plague bacillus, as 

 has been shown also by animal inoculation. 



Plate B exposed at a distance of 85 centimeters, while the patient gave 

 six good coughs. Result after forty-eight hours: A heavy surface growth 

 in which several hundred colonies are situated; only 1 colony outside the 

 edge of the surface growth. On microscopical examination, this proves 

 to be a very short bacillus or coccus which does not decolorize by Gram's 

 stain. 



Plate C exposed at a distance of 85 centimeters for fifteen seconds, 

 while the patient gave 4 coughs. Result after forty-eight hours: About 

 100 colonies scattered over the surface of the plate; many look like 

 plague colonies. Five of the most suspicious were planted on agar slants; 

 microscopical examination of all of these cultures shows a bipolar-staining 

 bacillus which decolorizes by Gram's stain. Two of these cultures were 

 later inoculated into guinea pigs Nos. 5301 and 5453 by the cutaneous 

 method; both of these animals died of typical plague infection; one seven 

 days after inoculation and the other nine days after inoculation. 



Case 8Jf. — Advanced case, partially delirious. Physical examination 

 shows tubular respiration and signs of advanced oedema at the bases of 

 the lung posteriorly. 



Plate A exposed for two minutes at a distance of 11 centimeters from 

 the mouth. No cough during time of exposure. Result after forty-eight 

 hours: Many surface colonies. All colonies at all suspicious of plague 

 were planted upon agar slants. A suspension was then made of all the 

 colonies on the plate in a few drops of saline solution, and 3 oesen of this 

 heavy suspension rubbed over the scarified abdomen of guinea pig No. 

 27; this animal remained entirely healthy. The result of the colonies 

 previously transplanted on agar slants is as follows: 34 A 1 and 2 = a 

 bacillus, short and very thick which, however, decolorized completely by 

 Gram's stain; this organism was later inoculated into guinea pig No. 5306, 

 which remained healthy and did not develop plague infection. 34 A 3 = 

 a very large and thick bacillus which does not decolorize by Gram. 

 34A4 = a coccus. 34 A 5 = a bacillus which partially decolorizes by Gram's 

 stain; this organism was later inoculated into guinea pig No. 5475, which 

 remained healthy. 



SERIES XII. 



Case 35. — Advanced case of plague pneumonia. Patient with marked 

 dyspnoea. Died about two hours afterward. 



Plate A exposed for two minutes at a distance of 7 centimeters. No 

 cough during exposure of plate. Result after forty-eight hours: About 

 28 colonies on the plate. Seven of these are large, irregular colonies 

 which could not be plague. A number of smaller ones, from pin-point- to 

 pin-head-size in diameter were planted upon agar slants. All the remain- 

 ing colonies on the plate were then suspended in a few drops of peptone 

 solution and 3 ozsen of this suspension inoculated subcutaneously into 

 mouse No. 25. This animal did not develop plague infection. The result 

 of the colonies previously planted upon agar slants is as follows : 35 A 1 



