BACTERIA AND DISEASE 2J$ 



usually contains giant ceils with numerous nuclei. The 

 uninuclear cells are partly lymphoid, partly large epithelial 

 or endothelial cells ; these are called epithelioid cells. 



It was not till 1865 that the specific nature of tuberculosis 

 was asserted by Villemin. Burdon Sanderson (1868-69) in 

 England confirmed his work, and it was extended by Conn- 

 heim, who a few years later laid down the principle that all 

 is tubercular which by transference to properly constituted 

 animals is capable of inducing tuberculosis, and nothing is 

 tubercular unless it has this capability. 



Klebs (1877) and Max Schiller (1880) described masses of 

 living cells or micrococci in many tuberculous nodules in 

 the diseased synovial membrane and in lupus skin. In i88t 

 Toussaint declared he had cultivated from the blood of 

 tubercular animals and from tubercles an organism which 

 was evidently a micrococcus, and in the same year Aufrecht 

 stated that the centre of a tubercle contained small micro- 

 cocci, diplococci, and some rods. But it was not till the 

 following year, 1882, that Koch discovered and demon- 

 strated beyond question the specific Bacillus tuberculosis. 



It is now held to be absolutely proved that the introduc- 

 tion of the bacillus, or its spores or products, is the one and 

 only essential agent in the production of tuberculosis. Its 

 recognised manifestations are as follows: 



Tuberculosis in the lungs = acute or chronic phthisis ; 

 " in the skin = lupus ' ; 



" in the mesenteric glands = Tabes mesen- 



terica ; 

 *' in the brain = hydrocephalus ; 



'* in lymphatic glands = Scrofula^ 



The disease may occur generally throughout the body or 

 locally in the suprarenal capsules, prostate, intestine, larynx, 

 membranes of the heart, bones, ovaries, pleura, kidneys, 

 spleen, testicles. Fallopian tubes, uterus, etc. 



' For differences of virulence between these conditions of pulmonary tubercle 

 see Lingard, Local Government Board Report^ 1888, p. 462. 



