THE FLORA OF THE CONJUNCTIVA IN 
HEALTH AND DISEASE* 
By A. STANLEY GRIFFITH, M.D. Vict. 
Alexander Fellow in Pathology 
Introduction 
The large and varied supply of ophthalmic material available in the eye clinic 
of the Royal Infirmary and in the Parish Infirmary of Liverpool, has afforded me the 
opportunity for the work embodied in my thesis. 
I should like at the outset to express my thanks, in the first place, to Dr. 
Alexander, the visiting surgeon of the Parish Infirmary, from whose wards I have 
obtained the bulk of my material, and also to Mr. Bicrerton, Ophthalmic Surgeon 
to the Royal Infirmary. 
The research has been conducted with the following objects in view :— 
(a) To determine the flora of the normal conjunctival sac. 
(£) To compare the pathogenic properties ot organisms occurring in 
healthy eyes with similar organisms found in diseased eyes. 
(Y) To investigate the causal agents ot the various suppurative inflamma- 
tions of the conjunctiva met with. 
The first part is a record of the results obtained in the bacteriological investi- 
gation of a number of healthy and diseased conjunctival sacs with a tabulated series ot 
experiments on rabbits' eyes with some of the principal organisms isolated. 
Further, to determine whether pyogenic cocci could be found in the normal 
conjunctival sac and in how far they possessed virulent properties as compared with 
similar organisms found in diseased eyes. 
Apart from its scientific interest such an investigation is of the greatest 
importance to the ophthalmic surgeon not only in operative procedures but also in 
elucidating obscure points in the etiology of conjunctival disease. 
In each case examined all the organisms cultivated have been noted and, for 
those that could not be named, a brief account of the principal cultural features has 
been given. 
Special prominence has been given to the numerous varieties of bacilli resemb- 
ling the diphtheria bacillus which occur in the conjunctival sac, and which correspond 
in a marked way to the different forms of diphtheria bacillus isolated by recent 
observers from the throat and nasal cavities. 
Presented in the form of a Dissertation to the Victoria University for the Degree of M.D. 1901. 
