THE OCCURRENCE OF BACILLUS COLI COMMUNIS IN THE 
PERIPHERAL BLOOD OF MAN DURING LIFE? 
By E. H. RUEDIGER 
(From the Section of Sera and Prophylactics, Biological Laboratory, 
Bureau of Science, Manila, P. J.) 
THREE TEXT FIGURES 
While infections of the body tissues by Bacillus coli communis 
are extremely common, and while there is every reason to 
believe that the spread of the infection in a large number of 
the cases takes place by way of the blood stream, it is remark- 
able how few cases of blood infection with Bacillus coli com- 
muris during life have been reported. Brian” reported 6 cases 
and Tidy* reported 3 cases. All of the cases reported by 
Brian recovered, while of those reported by Tidy 2 had died 
and the third was still in the hospital practically unimproved 
when the report was written. 
During routine bacteriologic examinations of blood at the 
Philippine General Hospital, 4 cases of blood infection by Bacil- 
lus coli communis came under my observation. Two of the 
cases proved fatal and 2 ended in recovery. 
Case 1.—The patient, an adult Filipino, was moribund when 
the bacteriologic examination of the blood was made on July 
10, 1912, and died within twenty-four hours. Ten cubic centi- 
meters of blood were obtained and put into 200 cubic centi- 
meters of citrated glucose bouillon. A profuse growth appeared, 
and there was gas production in the broth. On studying the 
organism further, the following biological and cultural charac- 
teristics were brought out: a short motile bacillus; in nutrient 
broth it produces uniform clouding, and a pellicle forms within 
a week. It grows readily on nutrient agar and produces gas 
in nutrient agar that contains glucose. Litmus milk is turned 
acid and is coagulated, and on potato it forms a large brownish 
growth. Diagnosis, Bacillus colt communis. 
* Read at the annual meeting of the Philippine Islands Medical Associa- 
tion, Manila, November 4—7, 1914. 
* Deutsch. Arch. f. klin. Med. (1912), 106, 379. 
* Lancet, London (1912), 2, 1500. 
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