§ XIII.] Gonorrhoeal affections. 157 



The cells of the Gonococcus are roundish in shape and of 

 some size, about o-8 /i in diameter, often attached together in 

 pairs corresponding to their partitions, separated in the full-grown 

 state by a hyaline gelatinous intervening substance, and often 

 distributed in large numbers and at tolerably regular distances 

 on the surface of the pus-cells. It is un- 

 certain whether this superficial arrangement 

 is due to successive partitions taking place 

 alternately in two directions, or to a cor- 

 responding displacement with the partition 

 always in the same direction ; I see nothing Fig. 20. 



in the observed facts to compel us to adopt the first as- 

 sumption. 



Gonococcus is not found in other inflammations of the 

 mucous membranes in question, and other Bacteria do not give 

 rise to the phenomena of gonorrhoea. These facts make it 

 probable with the aid of analogy that the infectious nature of 

 the gonorrhoeic secretion is due to the presence of the Coccus, 

 that this is the active contagium. 



Warm-blooded animals other than man are, as far we know, 

 either not susceptible to gonorrhoeic infection or take it with 

 difficulty; a very large majority of the experiments on animals 

 with the secretion from the eye were unsuccessful. 



Cultures of Micrococcus Gonococcus outside the living 

 patient seldom succeed. Yet some are said to have been suc- 

 cessful, those for example of Hausmann from the secretion from 

 the eye of an infant on stiffened blood-serum, and those of 

 Bockhardt and Bumm from the secretion from the urethra ; 



Fig. 20. Micrococcus Gonococcus, Neisser. From the secretion from 

 the conjunctiva of a child treated for Ophthalmia neonatorum. Four 

 pus-cells with Micrococcus attached, from a preparation coloured with 

 methyl-violet. The pale-coloured pus-cells with their nuclei are faintly 

 shown in the drawing in order to make the Micrococcus more apparent. 

 n outline of an isolated cell of Micrococcus and of a pair of cells formed by 

 bipartition. Magn. 600 times, with the exception of n, which is more 

 highly magnified. 



