J. W. S. Macfie 291 
occurred at 5/x, and nearly 70 per cent, of the parasites were from 
4/x to 6/Lt. long. 
Another instance is S. hronchialis which has recently been studied 
by Fantham (1915) who has criticised some earlier measurements 
made by me. This spirochaete according to Fantham measures from 
5 p, to 27 /X in length, but he admits that the “ size of a number of them 
centres around 15p., while many of the others are about 8p. long.” 
The average length of my specimens was 8p to Qp. and this Fantham 
attributes to the fact that they were obtained from two cases only 
in which he thinks “it was likely that the majority of the spirochaetes 
were at the same stage of development.” I do not propose at present 
to discuss the morphology of S. hronchialis further as I hope to return 
to the subject later, but it is I think significant that my figure for the 
average length of this species is the same as one of the two commonest 
sizes given by Fantham and approximately half the other especially 
as “ definite evidence of transverse division ” was obtained in spirochaetes 
of the latter size. If then there is such an approximately constant 
form of the spirochaete this I submit should be accepted as the form 
characteristic of the species, as it would be the recognition of this type 
that would be of the greatest assistance in identification. 
In the case of the spirochaete described in this paper satisfactory 
cultures were not obtained and I have therefore determined the length 
of the organism by measuring 300 individuals. The curve plotted 
from these measurements proves, I venture to think, the advantages 
of this method. 
Summary. 
(1) In the discharge from a case of acute urethritis spirochaetes 
were found which it is beheved were the causal agent of the disease. 
(2) The spirochaetes were most commonly 8p. to 12p, in length, 
and showed four or five spirals; but the range in the three hundred 
parasites measured was from 5/x to 20/x. They appeared to multiply 
both by longitudinal and transverse division and by the formation 
of coccoid bodies. The parasites passed through an intracellular phase 
which seemed to be as follows: some of the spirochaetes enter the 
epithelial scales fining the urethra, become quiescent, and break up 
into coccoid bodies. These bodies multiply so £ts to form masses 
of granules from which young spirochaetes develop, grow to about 
the normal size, and eventually escape. 
(3) The name Spirochaeta urethrae is proposed for the parasite. 
