86 
SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 
Relations of, and Differences between Bacillus coli communis and 
Bacillus typhosus.* — By comparing the appearances of the organisms 
obtained from the fteces and from the blood of typhoid patients MM. 
Rodet and Roux have endeavoured to establish a direct relation between 
B. coli communis and B. typhosus. The blood, obtained by punctur- 
ing the spleen, gave B. typhosus ; and the fascal matter, inoculated in 
bouillon and kept at 44° *5, gave pure cultivations of B. coli communis. 
Similar results were obtained from cultivations on gelatin plates. 
These results afford support to the hypothesis that the typhoid organism 
is only a modification of B. coli communis , and the authors strive to 
show that the differences between the two microbes are not sufficient to 
create two distinct species. Thus, cultivated in gelatin, typhoid bacilli 
are not constant in character and they frequently resemble cultures of 
B. coli communis. In bouillon the latter grows more vigorously and 
forms a slight scum, but similar scum is sometimes formed by B. typho- 
sus , and when kept at 44° the appearances of both are quite similar. 
Yet B. coli communis can bear a higher temperature than B. typhosus 
(46° • 5 and 45°). Potato cultivations also present differences, chiefly in 
colour. 
The microscopical characters of these organisms are chiefly that 
B. coli communis is short, the cells being of equal length. It is less 
mobile and stains more easily than the other. The bacillus of Ebertli is 
of unequal lengths and more slender. Anything which weakens the 
vitality of B. coli communis (heat, antiseptics) tends to make it resemble 
B. typhosus. Hence the authors conclude that the latter organism is a 
degenerate variety of B. coli communis; yet they do not assert that 
typhoid fever is produced by B. coli communis , although it may acquire 
typhogenic properties. 
Against this view, MM. Chantemesse and Widal point out that 
B. coli communis can be found not only in typhoid but in other fever 
patients, and that the Ebertli-Gaffky bacillus retains its typical 
characters in the organs of typhoid patients even though it remains 
encapsuled for fifteen months. If B. coli communis become pathogenic 
(peritonitis, suppuration, choleraic diarrhoea), its characters are un- 
altered and it never resembles B. typhosus. Nor do the symptoms and 
lesions occasioned by B. coli communis ever resemble those of typhoid 
fever. An important distinction between the two is that B. coli communis 
ferments sugar and B. typhosus never does. Yet this distinction has 
been denied, on the authority of Dubief, who finds that B. typhosus 
can ferment glucose, although much less energetically. 
Pathogenic Bacterium in Frogs’ Livers.|— Dr. F. Fischel finds 
that the livers of healthy frogs often contain bacteria. Plate cultiva- 
tions were made from the mashed up livers, and in about 36 hours 
numerous colonies, about the size of pins’ heads, were observed lying 
deep in the gelatin. The organism was also grown on agar, potato, 
blood-serum, and in bouillon. The gelatin was not liquefied. The 
micro-organism as obtained from hanging drop cultivations is a rodlet of 
* Journ. des Connaissances Med., 1890; Seance de l’Acad. de Med., 13th Oct., 
1891. See Ann. de Microgr. iv. (1892) pp. 361-3. 
f Fortschr. d. Med., ix. p. 340. See Annal. de Microgr., iv. (1892) pp. 307--8. 
