374 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
their nasal mucosa with the tainted discharge. Many of the animals 
succumbed to the poison, but on the other hand, many survived, an 
inflammatory swelling only being developed at the place of inoculation. 
From the organs of the animals which died cultivations were made on 
agar, gelatin, and potato, and several forms of bacteria developed. 
Among these were Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus and alhus^ and also a 
Staphylococcus from 0*8-1 fx broad, which did not liquefy gelatin, and 
was not pathogenic. Of the bacilli, two forms distinguished as B i. 
and B ii. are specially noted. The colonies of bacillus i. are dis- 
tinguished by being perfectly transparent and colourless. The indi- 
vidual elements, which are extremely small, from 0 * 2-0 * 4 y. thick, form 
small chains or threads. They are only faintly stained by anilin 
pigments, and not at all by Gram’s method. They are quite motionless. 
Bacterium ii. was found to stain well. The primitive elements, usually 
in pairs, are about 0 * 5 /x. broad, with pointed ends. Transverse striations 
could be detected. These bacilli did not grow on gelatin, but throve 
on potato. They were found to be pathogenic to mice and guinea-pigs, 
their chief effect being exerted in the lungs. 
Besides the foregoing colonies of oval bacteria, slender bacilli and 
thick bacilli were also observed. 
These observations were made from cases occurring during the height 
of the epidemic, and another set is given from cases of pneumonia, which 
started as influenza. Among the micro-organisms isolated from the 
latter cases were Streptococcus pyogenes, a lancet-shaped diplo -bacterium, 
and a bacterium the colonies of which formed mucous-looking masses 
below agar layers or upon gelatin. They were pathogenic to mice and 
rabbits. 
Dr. Bouchard,* after narrating instances of the contagiousness of 
influenza, proceeds to say that he found three pathogenic microbes of 
influenza, “two of which are too many if we go for a specific virus 
of influenza.” All these three microbes are the constant companions of 
the various cavities of the human body. Hence, in order to have any 
causal relation to influenza, they must have exceeded the ordinary 
conditions of their existence. The author’s view that Streptococcus 
pyogenes aureus is the only microbe capable of producing pneumonia 
wants further corroboration. This microbe was isolated from the 
vesicles of Herpes labialis, and was found also in the pneumonias com- 
plicating influenza. Streptococcus Pneumonise was found by the author 
in the bronchial secretion, but not in the blood. This microbe is con- 
considered by the author to be identical with the Streptococcus of 
erysipelas, of suppuration, and of puerperal fever. 
Dr. T. M. Pruddenf has examined seven cases of unmistakeable 
influenza. Cultivations were made on agar and agar-glycerin plates at 
the temperature of the body. The pathogenic forms discovered were 
Staphylococcus pyogenes aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Diplococcus 
pneumomse. The author concludes that bacteriology has “ brought to 
light no living germ which there is reason to believe has anything to do 
with causing the disease.” When compared with Kibbert’s investigation 
* La Semaine Med., 1890, No. 5. See Centralbl. f. Bakteriol. u. Parasitenk., vii. 
(1890) pp. 375-6. t Medical Kecord, Feb. 15, 1890. 
