452 PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS 



connective tissue lie many large swollen cells, the so-called "Mikulicz 

 cells." ' The rhinoscleroma bacilli lie within these cells and in the 

 intercellular spaces. They can be demonstrated in histological sections 

 and can be cultivated from the lesions, usually in pure culture. Rhino- 

 scleroma is rare in America. It is most prevalent in Southeastern 

 Europe. The disease is slowly progressive and comparatively intract- 

 able to surgical treatment, but hardly ever affects the general health 

 unless by mechanical obstruction of the air passages. 



B. Ozaenae. — The work of Abel ^ and others has shown that ozena, or 



Fig. 95. — Bacillus or Rhinosclekoma. Section of tissue showing the micro- 

 organisms within Mikulicz cells. (After Frankel and Pfeiffer.) 



fetid nasal catarrh, is almost always associated with a bacillus morpho- 

 logically and culturally almost identical with B. mucosus capsulatus. 

 The bacillus can not be definitely separated from the latter. According 

 to Wilde ' it forms no gas in dextrose bouillon and is less pathogenic 

 for mice than B. Friedlander. Whether it is a separate species, or 

 merely an atypical form changed by environment, can not be stated 

 at present. 



• Mikulicz, Arch. f. Chir., xx, 1876. ^ Ahel, Zeit. f. Hyg., xxi 



' Wilde, loc. cit. 



