DISEASES CAUSED BY SPIROCHETES 



605 



THE SPIROCHETES OF RELAPSING FEVER 



The microorganisms causing relapsing fever were first observed in 

 1873, by Obermeier/ who demonstrated them in the blood of patients 

 suffering from this distinct type of fever. Since his time extensive 



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Pig. 132. — Spikoch/Btb op Relapsing Fever. (After Norris, Pappenheimer, 



and Flournoy.) 



studies by many other observers have proven beyond question the 

 etiological connection between the disease and the organisms. 



Morphology and Staining. — The spirochaete of Obermeier is a delicate 

 spiral thread measuring from 7 to 9 micra in length (Novy), and about 

 1 micron in thickness. While this is its average size, it may, according 

 to some observers, be considerably longer than this, its undulations 

 varying from 4 to 10 or more in number. Compared with the red blood 



1 Obermeier, Cent. f. d. med. Wiss., 11, 1873, 



