274 



Dr. A. Ransome. On Bacilli in Phthisis. [Nov. 16, 



left intact, and not swollen by reagents, the method consisting in 

 treating thin sections of fresh material at once with saturated picric 

 acid, washing with alcohol, and staining with aniline blue. 



Y. " Xote on the Discovery of Bacilli in the Condensed Aqueous 

 Yaponr of the Breath of Persons affected with Phthisis." 

 By Arthur Ransomi, M.A., M.D. Communicated by Dr. 

 W. Egberts. F.R.S. Received November 8, 1882. 



In the year 1869 I communicated to the Literary and Philosophical 

 Society of Manchester a paper " On the Organic Matter of the Human 

 Breath in Health and Disease " (Memoirs, vol. iv, 3rd Series, p. 234). 



The method employed was to condense the vapour of the breath in a 

 large glass globe, surrounded by ice and salt ; and the fluid so collected 

 was then examined chemically and microscopically. The vapour in 

 condensing was found to carry with it all the organic matter con- 

 tained in the breath. Certain chemical variations in this fluid were 

 noted, and in addition to epithelial scales, which were also found in 

 health, the breath of diseased persons was found to contain certain 

 organised bodies. 



It appeared probable that the breath of persons in advanced stages 

 of phthisis would contain the bacillus of tubercle, and that this 

 organism could be rendered visible by the method of staining. 



The aqueous vapour of the breath of certain cases of advanced 

 phthisis was accordingly condensed in above-mentioned manner, and 

 each specimen was separately examined. In order to carry down the 

 organic particles, and to afford a basis by which the substances 

 obtained could be made to adhere to the microscopic cover-glasses, it 

 was necessary to add some glutinous material to the condensed fluids. 

 In some instances I used for this purpose fresh white of an egg, in 

 others mucus from the mouth, that had been separately examined by 

 staining, and which had been found free from bacilli. ~No attempt 

 was made to sterilise any of the fluids, the ordinary bacteria of putre- 

 faction being left unstained in the process used. 



The method of staining employed was that suggested by Dr. 

 Heneage Gribbes, in which magenta and aniline are first used, and then 

 after discharging the colour, from all but the bacilli, by dilute nitric 

 acid, chrysoidfn is used to throw them into relief. (See " Brit. Med. 

 Journal," August 5, 1882.) It is affirmed that by this method only 

 the Bacillus tuberculosus is stained red. 



I have now to state that in the aqueous vapour obtained from two 

 persons suffering from phthisis, I have found specimens of a bacillus, 

 which takes the staining in the same manner as the bacillus found in 



