3IO Suppuration 



Although, as stated, Staphylococcus pyogenes albus is a common 

 cause of suppuration, it rarely occurs alone, Passet so finding it in 

 but 4 out of 33 cases investigated. When pure cultures of the coccus 

 are subcutaneously injected into rabbits and guinea-pigs, abscesses 

 occasionally result. Injected into the circulation, the staphylococci 

 occasionally cause septicemia, and after death can be found in the 

 capillaries, especially in the kidneys. From this it will be seen that 

 the organism is feebly and variably pathogenic. 



In its morphologic and vegetative characteristics Staphylococcus 

 albus is almost identical with the species next to be described, dif- 

 fering from it only in the absence of its characteristic golden pigment. 



Staphylococcus Pyogenes Aureus (Rosenbach*) 



General Characteristics. — A non-motile, non-flagellate, non-sporogenous, 

 liquefying, chromogenic, pathogenic, aerobic and optionally anaerobic coccus, 

 staining by the ordinary methods and by Gram's method. 



Commonly present upon the skin, though in smaller numbers than 

 the organisms already described, is the more virulent and sometimes 

 dangerous Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus, or "golden staphylococ- 

 cus," first observed by Ogston and cultivated by Rosenbach. As 

 the morphology and cultural characteristics of this organism are 

 identical with those of the preceding species, it seems convenient to 

 describe them together, pointing out such minor differences as occur. 

 In doing this, however, it must not be forgotten that, although 

 Staphylococcus albus was first mentioned. Staphylococcus aureus 

 is the more common organism of suppuration. 



staphylococci pyogenes aureus et albus 



Distribution. — The cocci are not widely distributed in nature, 

 seeming not to find a purely saprophytic existence satisfactory. 

 They occur, however, upon man and the lower animals, and can 

 occasionally be found in the dusts of houses and hospitals — especially 

 in the surgical wards — if proper precautions are not exercised. They 

 are common upon the skin, in the nose, mouth, eyes, and ears of man; 

 they are nearly always present beneath the finger-nails, and some- 

 times occur in the feces, especially of children. 



Staphylococci are the most common micro-organisms in some 

 acne pustules, in furuncles, in carbuncles, in superficial and deep 

 abscesses, and in the ordinary run of surgical infections. So com- 

 mon are they that one should never be satisfied that he has exhausted 

 the etiological possibilities of the case through their demonstration. 

 He should always seek for less evident though sometimes far more 

 important organisms. In the absence of such, and in their absence 

 only, should the case be referred to staphylococci. 



* " Mikroorganismen bei Wundinfektionskrankheiten des Menschen," Wies- 

 baden, 1884. 



