BOTULISM 533 
the above epidemics it is apparent that foods may distribute para- 
typhoid bacilli. 
Bacillus enteritidis. Gaertner (1888) first showed the relation of 
this organism to food poisoning. The infection came from the meat of a 
cow which was abnormal before it was slaughtered. The bacillus was 
isolated from the diseased meat and also from the spleen of a fatal case. 
Later Durham (1898) and De Nobele (1899) also isolated bacilli like 
B. enteritidis from abnormal meat. Van Ermengen (1892) reported the 
study of an extensive epidemic of food poisoning which was believed 
to have originated from eating the meat of diseased calves. Bacteria 
like B. enteritidis were isolated. Other investigations have been 
reported by Holst (1895), Poels and Dhont (1894), Jacobitz and Kayser 
(1910) and others, 
BorutisM 
Botulism or ‘ sausage poisoning ”’ has been known for a long time. 
The earliest report was by Kerner, who described a series of cases among 
which were a number of deaths. Dickson, in America (1915), has given 
the subject quite a little study. Most of the outbreaks in this country 
have been in California. This is probably due to their being alert to 
the possibility of botulism which, in other cases, has been diagnosed as 
ptomaine poisoning. 
The organism was discovered by Ermengen (1899) in a ham which 
had been responsible for a severe attack of meat poisoning. It was 
found in muscle in the spore stage. He also isolated this organism 
from the spleens of the fatal cases. A further study gave more evi- 
dence that the organism was distinctly pathogenic. 
The organism has the following characteristics: It is gram positive, 
anaerobic and a spore former. The temperature range is between 18 
and 30° C. The vegetative cells are easily destroyed by heat but the 
spores are quite resistant. Although Van Ermengen stated that they 
could be destroyed by heating at 85° C. for fifteen minutes, Dickson 
(1915) has reported a greater resistance. The organism does not grow 
above 30° C. and, therefore, the toxin is the important factor in this 
type of food poisoning. 
Toxin of Bacillus botulinus. The toxin of Bacillus botulinus is 
soluble and produces a strict toxemia. It is thermolabile and very 
toxic not only when administered by injection but when administered 
by the mouth. This separates it very closely from the toxins of B. 
tetani and B. diphtherie, It was formerly thought that the toxin for- 
