lOOO SOCIÉTÉ DE BIOLOGIE 



by detectiûg tlie carriers and using ouly the men who had no diphthe- 

 ric bacilli. 



Reappearance of bacilli in carriers. 



As a rule the diphtheric bacilli do not definitely and suddenly disap- 

 pear from the throat of carriers; a culture made to day will reveal no 

 bacilli, whereas one perTorm^d a few days later will show their pre- 

 (sence. For this reason carriers will be allowed to take up normal life 

 again only after two négative cultures performed at 6 days intervais. 



A simple angina may cause the bacilli to reappear and even to become 

 very numerous; often they disappear later on rapidly and definitely. 



Causes wnica favorise tue persistence of bacilli. 



Any lésion of the buccal mucous membrane is propitious to the per- 

 sistence of the bacilli; such as a bad condition of the leeth and gums, 

 hypertrophy of the tonsils, adenoids, chronic rhino-pharyngeal lésions. 



Treatment of bacilli carriers. 



Many altemps bave been made with anliseptics applied on the buccal 

 or rhino-pharyngeal mucous membrane; the results bave not been 

 encouraging. • 



The application to the buccal mucous membrane of antimicrobian 

 anti-diphteric sérum brings about a more rapid disappearance of bacilli 

 but to be efficacious Ihe sérum must remain in prolonged contact with 

 the mucous membrane; Marcel Labbé and Cicorges Cannât think that 

 the serotherapeutic method seems to be the most efficacious means of 

 bringing about the disappearance of the bacilli. 



Dopter has used inhalations of sérum powder to free the nasal pas- 

 sages from the bacilli. 



Legroux adds neutral powders to Ihe sérum and pulverizes the 

 mixture in the bucco-pharyngcal cnvity. 



Ravaut shOws the good results obtained with -a mixture of sérum 

 and arseno-benzol. He obtaiiied a disinfection of the pharynx in carriers 

 within an average of from 16 to 10 days (1). 



In 1909 Schiotz of Copenhagen has advised the use of slaphylococei 

 cultures to destroy the diphtheric bacilli; the best thing to do is to 

 pulverize in the naso-pharynx cultures of Slaphylococcus aureus 

 Several aulhors hâve been successful ; but the results bave not been 



(1) Thèse ligures ubich Mr. Ravaut considPTs satisfaclory show that it is 

 stiil useful to study the question; betler results should be obtained and we 

 would be glad to knoTs' the practice of our colleagues in th-e Alli-ed Armies. 



