56 BACTERIAL POISONS OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. 



congested. However, the presence of this substance in the bodies of 

 persons who have died of cholera does not prove that its production 

 is due to the cholera bacillus. 



Pouchet extracted from cholera stools, with chloroform, an oily 

 base belonging to the pyridin series. It reduced ferric as well as 

 platinum salts, and formed a readily decomposable hydrochlorid. It 

 was a violent poison, irritating to the stomach, and retarding the 

 action of the heart. Subsequently, he obtained a similar substance 

 from cultures of the comma bacillus. 



Brieger used pure cultures on beef broth, which was rendered 

 alkaline by the addition of a three per cent, soda solution. These 

 were kept at from 37° to 38°, and after twenfy-fonr hours, cadaverin 

 was found to be present. Older cultures yielded very small quan- 

 tities of putrescin, but blood serum cultures yielded much larger 

 amounts of this base. While cadaverin and putrescin cannot be said 

 to be poisonous, they cause necrosis of tissue into which they are in- 

 jected, and their formation by the cholera germ may account for the 

 necrotic areas observed in the intestine after death from this disease. 

 The lecithin of the beef broth was slowly acted upon by the germ, 

 and with age the amount of cholin increased, reaching its maximum 

 during the fourth week. Creatin proved more resistant to the action 

 of the bacillus ; but, after six weeks, a considerable quantity of 

 creatinin was isolated, and a similar amount of methyl-guanidin. 

 The latter is highly poisonous, and causes muscle tremors and dysp- 

 noea. The presence of methyl-guanidin indicates that the comma 

 bacillus acts as an oxidizing agent, since creatin yields this substance 

 only by oxidation. In addition to the above-mentioned ptomains, 

 which are common products of putrefaction, Brieger found two 

 poisons which he at that time considered as specific toxins of the 

 comma bacillus. One of these, found in the mercuric chlorid pre- 

 cipitate, is a diamin, resembling trimethylendiamin. It caused mus- 

 cle tremor and cramps. The other poison, found in the mercury 

 filtrate, produced in mice a lethargic condition ; the respiration and 

 heart's action became slow, and the temperature sank so that the 

 animals felt cold. Sometimes there was bloody diarrhoea. It is 

 quite certain that the above-mentioned substances, neither singly nor 

 combined, constitute the specific toxin of the cholera bacillus. 



Brieger and Frankel found in cultures of the cholera bacillus an 

 insoluble prdteid, which, when suspended in water and injected sub- 

 cutaneously in guinea-pigs, caused death after from two to three 

 days. Section showed inflammatory swelling and redness of the 

 subcutaneous tissue, extending into the muscles, for some distance 

 about the point of injection, but no necrosis. There was no change 

 in the int^tine and no effusion into the peritoneum. In some in- 

 stances there was beginning fatty degeneration in the liver. Upon 

 rabbits this substance, even in large doses, was without effect. 



