148 APPLIED BACTERIOLOGY 



Messrs. Demel and Orlandi* show that Eoux and Eodet's 

 statements as to the near relationship of the B. typhosus 

 and the B. coli communis are borne out by the physiological 

 and pathological effects of the metabolic products of the 

 two organisms. Animals rendered immune to one are also 

 rendered immune to the other bacillus, the virus of the 

 B. coli communis having a higher therapeutic value than 

 that of the B. typhosus. Germane and Maurea,i- after a 

 very prolonged investigation, have isolated no less than 

 thirty varieties of typhoid-like bacilli, and they consider 

 this fact supports the theory that the B. coli communis 

 may, under certain conditions, develop into the B. typhosus. 

 Nicolle, 1 after a very careful investigation, could only find 

 the B. coli communis in a typical case of enteric fever, the 

 blood and spleen being particularly examined. From the 

 above facts, it will be seen that the possible dangers to be 

 derived from the drinking of sewage-polluted waters are 

 greater than previously supposed. 



It is worth recording, however, in connection with the 

 above, that Chantemesse has called attention to the fact 

 that during the typhoid epidemic in Paris in 1894, the 

 soldiers who drank the polluted water supplied to the 

 Menilmontant barracks all escaped typhoid, notwithstand- 

 ing the fact that the water was swarming with the colon 

 bacillus. 



Dr. Klein has recently studied§ the B. typhosus and 

 B. coli communis as to their stability as separate species 

 in culture, and in the process of transference from animal 

 to animal. On the one hand, bacilli of both kinds, derived 

 in each instance from human sources, were tested by him 

 .as to their vitality, and as to the retention of their dif- 



* Centralb. fur Bakteriologie, xvi., p. 246. f Ihid., xv., p. 60. 

 X ' Annales de I'lnstitut Pasteur,' 1895, No. 1. 



§ ' The Twenty-third Annual Beport of the Local Government 

 Board,' supplement containing the Eeport of the Medical Officer, p. 459. 



