THE BACILLUS OF LEPROSY. 
101 
greater or smaller clumps, amongst these a number of small 
rods. 
22. — In both the preparations abundant masses of zoogloea. 
April 10th. — From Iver Sorlide were taken three samples 
of blood from the cheek, in freshly blown capillary tubes, 
which were secured at one end and hung up on a string in 
the room. 
20th. — The contents were examined, coagulated in all 
three tubes, and were difficult to get out. The blood-cor- 
puscles had a healthy appearance ; the red ones rather 
spherical, the white, for the most part, kneaded together in 
clumps. In one place in one tube in the coagulation was 
found a mass of zoogloea ; in the other two nothing could be 
discovered. 
From the various notes of my investigations in 1873 
every one will be easily able to see that I had good 
reason for supposing that bacteria appear in leprous pro- 
ducts, but also that I, supported alone by these investi- 
gations, could not propound a theory on this subject, 
and still more decide whether these bacteria really were 
the virus which, introduced into the system, produced the 
disease. In order, if possible, to arrive at a decision in this 
matter, I tried to inoculate rabbits with leprosy by intro- 
ducing portions of the leprous growths, especially of the 
tubercles, under the skin of the animals. I was not lucky 
in any of these attempts, which, however, as a matter of 
course, is a proof against the supposition that the above- 
named bacteria are the real virus. I have not repeated this 
attempt later, and only now and then, by examining the 
tubercles, have become convinced that my observations with 
regard to the occurrence of the oscillating rod-shaped bodies 
were correct, until I, on reading this spring Dr. Koch’s 
w'ork, ‘ Untersuchungen uber die -dEtiologi der Wund- 
infections krankheiten,’ and by being enabled to see some of 
Dr. Koch’s preparations of Anthrax bacilli^ learned to 
know this author’s excellent system for the demonstration of 
bacteria. It occurred to me this summer to try ether in the 
investigations, in order, if possible, to prove the bacterium- 
nature of the rod-formed bodies, and their presence every- 
where where leprous productions are to be found. But I 
have hitherto endeavoured in vain to obtain good and con- 
vincing preparations, except in one case, when I was able to 
obtain perfectly convincing results. Guided by the above- 
recorded observations, viz. that the small rods become more 
distinct by the treatment of the tubercles with osniic acid, 
I placed an extirpated tubercle in this acid, and have 
