1882.] upon Contagium in two Forms of Septichcemia. 151 



Past I. — Experiments upon Pasteur's Septichcemia in the Guinea-Tig. 



Guinea-pig No. 1. — 0*7 cub. centim. of putrid ox-blood was injected 

 with a Pravart's syringe, into the peritoneal cavity of a full-grown 

 guinea-pig, which the next morning was found recently dead, rigor 

 not having set in : round the place of injection there was some sab- 

 cutaneous exudation, with destructive inflammation of the tissues of 

 the abdominal wall, sections of which showed numerous Bacilli and 

 Micrococci in the layers of connective tissue between the muscles. 

 Acute peritonitis was found with a large exudation of serous fluid 

 containing some extravasated blood-corpuscles, and deeply stained 

 with their colouring matter. The fluid in this case was not very 

 coagulable, differing in this respect from some others. The same day 

 0'5 cub. centim. of the peritoneal exudation fluid of No. 1 was 

 injected into the subcutaneous tissue of the abdomen of guinea-pig 

 .No. 2, which, as the following day was Sunday, was not examined till 

 Monday morning, when it was found dead, and in a much more 

 advanced stage of decomposition than would have occurred normally 

 in the same period. In all forms of septichsemia this rapid decom- 

 position is invariably found. Guinea-pig No. 3 then received in 

 similar manner 0"5 cub. centim. of the diluted subcutaneous exuda- 

 tion fluid of No. 2, which, likewise, was not coagulated. On the 

 following morning No. 3 was found dead but still warm ; the abdomen 

 was infiltrated with a large quantity of subcutaneous exudation fluid, 

 deeply stained with hemoglobin, and containing some extravasated 

 blood-corpuscles, as well as numerous active Bacilli and some Micro- 

 cocci or spores. The serous fluid was not very coagulable ; of this a 

 portion was mixed with equal parts of normal saline solution, freshly 

 made and boiled, containing in addition 1 per cent, of potassic car- 

 bonate, to render the serum alkaline and prevent coagulation upoi? 

 boiling, which it did effectually. Vacuum tubes of about 10 millims. 

 diameter and 10 centims. long, previously prepared, were then par- 

 tially filled with this liquid by breaking their points under its sur- 

 face ; these were then placed one by one in a small flask of salt 

 solution, to avoid frothing and splashing ; this was then heated, 

 and when the liquid was boiling freely, the tube enclosing it was 

 resealed by the blow-pipe. The tubes were then placed in the hot air 

 chamber, the temperature of which was gradually raised to 140° G., 

 and maintained at nearly that point for one hour. No coagulation 

 occurred upon heating, but it was found in subsequent experiments, 

 that, inasmuch as the degree of dilution and alkalinity required to 

 prevent this, varied in different cases, both with exudation serum and 

 with blood, it was necessary in every instance to determine this point 

 experimentally. The same evening guinea-pig No. 4 received by 

 subcutaneous injection 0"3 cub. centim. of the exudation fluid of 



