100 B. BRADLEY. 



Final Conclusions. 



I. No definite bio-chemical distinction can be drawn 

 between b. paratyphosus (B), b. enteritidis Gaertner (or 

 the other food poisoning strains), the rat virus bacilli, b. 

 typhi murium, b. psittacosis or b. morbif bovis. 



II. The bio-chemical distinction between b. paratyphosus 

 A, and b. paratyphosus B, is one of degree only. 



III. The Gaertner type organisms from swine are 

 separable from the other Gaertner strains by their 

 inability to attack arabinose. 



IV. The action on dulcit of a number of the Gaertner 

 type cultures shows considerable variations, and dulcit 

 therefore cannot be considered of much value in differenti- 

 ation. 



V. Salicin is only exceptionally attacked by any of the 

 above strains. A trace of action occurred in one rat virus 

 strain and in two locally isolated food poisoning strains, 

 but occurring late may possibly be due to accidental con- 

 tamination. 



VI. From a number of sources where infection with 

 Gaertner type organisms was not likely, i.e. normal faeces 

 and in one ice-cream, Gaertner-like organisms were found, 

 but in every case could be differentiated bio-chemically 

 from the true type. These pseudo-gaertners may or may 

 not ferment salicin, which is therefore not an absolutely 

 reliable differential test. Lactose and cane-sugar are 

 sometimes affected late, but in some cases the indol (benz- 

 aldehyde) reaction, which is always positive in strong 

 contrast to the invariable negative result with the true 

 Gaertner types, was the sole distinguishing feature. 



VII. In the blood of a case of erysipelatous septicaemia 

 after wound infection, an organism bio-chemically indis- 

 tinguishable from the true Gaertner type was detected. 



