338 AGEICULTUEAL AND INDUSTEIAL BAOTEEIOLOGY 



infection by this organism in cattle. It is responsible for 

 many of the falsely termed ptomaine poisonings in the 

 United States. 



The organism can be differentiated from other members 

 of the group only by careful physiological and serological 

 studies. 



The Bacillus enteritidis, when grown in suitable culture 

 media, produces an unusually soluble and potent endotoxin. 

 This endotoxin differs from true toxin in being quite resist- 

 ant to heat. It is therefore possible for food, particularly 

 meat which has been fairly thoroughly cooked, to give rise 

 to toxic symptoms when it is eaten. It is probable that this 

 endotoxin is responsible for the symptoms which develop 

 promptly when people are poisoned by eating infected food. 

 The disease produced by infection by the living organisms 

 in man is very similar to that caused by infection by para- 

 typhoid bacilli, in fact, the organisms themselves are very 

 closely related. 



Meat and milk from animals which show severe diarrhea 

 or gastrointestinal disturbances should not be used for 

 human consumption, as infection in the human has been 

 traced to such in several cases. It is quite probable that 

 most of the cases of meat poisoning originate from the use 

 of flesh of diseased animals, but it is possible that in some 

 eases, the organism gains access to the meat after the animal 

 has been slaughtered. 



Bacterium paratyphi and Bacterium scHOTTMtJLLEEi 



Synonyms. — Bacillus paratyphosus A and Bacillis para- 

 typhosus B. 



These organisms produce in man the disease which has 

 come to be known in recent years as paratyphoid fever. 

 This disease closely resembles typhoid fever in most of its 

 clinical aspects, all^hough the mortality is somewhat lower. 

 Bacterium paratyphi was originally discovered from the 



