URINARY MICRO-ORGANISMS 259 



In a case of endocarditis, Weichaelbaum found the specific 

 micro-organisms in the urine, and Von Jaksch detected in 

 erysipelas abundant streptococci which he identified with 

 the Streptococcus pyogenes ; while in typhoid fever Neumann 

 found the corresponding micro-organisms in the urine, and 

 glanders bacilli and tuhercle bacilli have also been dis- 

 covered in it. In other diseases, too, the respective bacteria 

 are found in the urine — for instance, the bacillus of anthrax 

 or the sjnrillum of relapsing fever. In gonorrhceal processes 

 gonococci are found in it, and in suppurative processes con- 

 siderable numbers of staphylococci ; and tubercle bacilli 

 appear in s-shaped groups (see fig. 81) in tubercular 

 ulcerative disease of the urinary passages. The process 

 of centrifuging is especially to be recommended when ex- 

 amining the urine for micro-organisms. 



Bacteriuria may also be caused by the conveyance of 

 micro-organisms into the urethra in the introduction of in- 

 struments, when they may set up a decomposition of the 

 urine in the interior of the bladder. 



A number of different micrococci found in the air, in 

 water, and in the soil are also met with in the urine ; these 

 include the Micrococcus urece and various species of sarcina. 



The majority of the micro-organisms occurring in urine 

 are bacilli. 



Yeasts and moulds in urine. — The occurrence of any 

 considerable number of yeast-cells is in all probability de- 

 pendent upon the urine being rich in sugar. Moulds, 

 too, only appear in saccharine urine, and then not until 

 the alcoholic fermentation of the sugar has come to an end. 



Urobacteria. — A number of bacteria have the property 

 of converting urea into ammonium carbonate. That most 

 frequently found in the normal urine during fermentation 

 is the Micrococcus ure.ce (Pasteur, Van Tieghem, Leube), 

 which is a constant inhabitant of the atmosphere, and has 



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