BACILLUS COLI COMMUNIS 395 



the peritoneum in pure culture without there having been any intestinal 

 perforation.' Granting that the bacillus is able to proliferate within 

 the peritoneum, there is no reason for doubting its ability of giving rise 

 to a mild suppurative process. 



Inflammatory conditions in the liver and gall-bladder have fre- 

 quently been attributed to the colon bacillus. It has been isolated from 

 liver abscesses, from the bile, and from the center of gall-stones. Welch 

 has reported a case of acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis in which the 

 bacillus was isolated from the gall-bladder and from the pancreas. 



In the bladder, Bacillus coli frequently gives rise to cystitis and oc- 

 casionally to ascending pyonephrosis. No other microorganism, in fact, 

 is found so frequently in the urine as this one;r It may be present, often, 

 in individuals in whom all morbid processes aTe absent. The condition 

 is frequently observed during the convalescence from typhoid fever. 

 It may disappear spontaneously, or cystitis, usually of a mild, chronic 

 variety, may supervene. 



Localized suppurations due to this bacillus may take place in all 

 parts of the body. They are most frequently localized about the anus 

 and the genitals. They are usually mild and easily amenable to the 

 simplest surgical treatment. 



Poisonous Products of the Colon Bacillus. — The colon bacillus belongs 

 essentially to that group of bacteria whose toxic action is supposed to 

 be due to the poisonous substances contained within the bacillary body. 

 Culture filtrates of the colon bacillus show very little toxicity when in- 

 jected into animals; whereas the injection of dead bacilli produces 

 symptoms almost equal in severity to those induced by injection of the 

 live microorganisms. Corroborative of the assumption of this endotoxic 

 nature of the colon-bacillus poison is the fact that, so far, no antitoxic 

 bodies have been demonstrated in serum as resulting from immuniza- 

 tion. 



Immunization with the Colon Bacillus. — The injection into animals of 

 gradually increasing doses of living or dead colon bacilli gives rise to 

 specific bacteriolytic, agglutinating, and precipitating substances. 



The bacteriolytic substances may be easily demonstrated by the 

 technique of the Pfeiffer reaction. In vitro bacteriolysis is less marked 

 than in the case of some other microorganisms such as the cholera spiril- 

 lum or the typhoid bacillus. Owing probably to the habitual presence 

 of colon bacilli in the intestinal tracts of animals and man, considerable 



26 



' Welch, Med. News, 59, 1891. 



