BACTEKIOLOGICAL DATA. 39 



ISOLATION OF ORGANISMS. 



B. COLI AND B. PARATYPHOSUS TYPES. 



During the investigations pertaining to Jamaica Bay in 1908 a num- 

 ber of organisms were studied from the water and oyster samples col- 

 lected direct from this bay. The gas-producing organisms were classed 

 as belonging to the B. coli and B. cloacse groups. In reviewing these 

 records it is observed that some of the atypical types more closely 

 resemble the paratyphoid type than the B. coli or paracolon group. 



From the oyster and water samples collected from dealer A on 

 December 15, 1911, there were a number of B. coli-like organisms 

 isolated, and others which resembled the B. paratyphoid group. ^ One 

 strain agglutinated typhoid immune serum in dilutions of 1:100, but 

 not in higher dilutions. This serum was active in dilutions of 1 : 1 ,000 

 on typhoid cultures; it was obtained from Maj. F. F. Kussell, of the 

 Army Medical School. 



In their discussion of the paratyphoid bacillus, Muir and Ritchie ^ 

 show the close similarity existing among various strains of this group. 

 They say : 



With regard to the effects of other sera on the paratyphoid bacillus, it may be said that 

 usually a typhoid serum will require to be used in greater concentration to clump this 

 bacillus than is necessary to obtain an effect with the typhoid bacillus itself. * * * 

 While the paratyphoid bacillus originates a disease resembling typhoid fever, it has 

 also been found in the stools of typhoid patients, and mixed infections may occur. 

 Both organisms have been observed together in the stools in typhoid carriers, and pure 

 paratyphoid carriers are also stated to occur. 



Among the 83 cases of gastroenteritis resulting from the Minisink 

 banquet, a large majority of them exhibited symptoms not unlike a 

 mild typhoid infection, and in some instances the course of the disease 

 was from four to six weeks in duration, although in most cases not 

 longer than one week or 10 days. For the most part, the illness began 

 in from 24 to 48 hours after the banquet, while in some cases four or 

 five days or a week elapsed before the first symptoms were noticeable. 

 The onset of the illness was usually attended by severe abdominal 

 pains, cramps, profuse diarrhea, loss of appetite, and general gastro- 

 intestinal disturbances. In some of the more severe cases diarrhea, 

 loss of weight, gaseous distention, arid weakness were prominent 

 features requiring the services of a physician for a considerable length 

 of time. None of these cases was reported as typhoid fever, although 

 many were termed ''ptomain poisoning" by la3rmen, and castor oil 

 was generously used in Goshen following the Minisink banquet. 



TYPHOID ORGANISMS. 



Among the organisms described in Bureau of Chemistry Bulletin 

 136, by the author, four strains were obtained which resembled 



1 Park, W. H., and Williams, Anna W. A Textbook of Pathogenic Bacteria and Protozoa, 1910, p. 270. 



2 Manual of Bacteriology, 1910, p. 382. 



