564 
DR. BILLINGS. 
by any means, only that another micro-organism can produce 
similar local lesions to those produced by that of hen cholera. 
The above assertion of mine is still more strengthened by the 
fact that Kitt received negative results from inoculations in hens 
and rabbits, though the number used was small.—B. 
“ The experimental study of this disease shows that the named 
species—cattle, horses, wild and tame swine, goats, rabbits, mice, 
pigeons and some small birds—are susceptible to the disease by 
some form of infection, while sheep and guinea-pigs are more or 
less immune. The experiments on hens have not been numerous 
enough to be considered satisfactory on this head. It is a matter 
of practical importance to notice that this disease is fatal to the 
same species of animals. They are, in general, susceptible to an¬ 
thrax, the most important variation in this direction being the 
susceptibility of swine to the ‘ wildseuche,’ while sheep do not 
appear to be so. This fact—that is, the susceptibility of these 
animals to this disease—requires consideration in connection with 
the question of producing artificial immunity towards anthrax by 
inoculation, as such inoculated animals might die from the 4 wild¬ 
seuche,’ and the disease still be mistaken for anthrax. 
“ It has already been mentioned that Kitt was the first to 
demonstrate the presence of a specific micro-organism in this dis¬ 
ease. They are very plentiful in the blood, and are easily col 
ored by aquous solutions of fuchsin, methyl-violet, methylen-blue, 
and vesuvin. Alcaline solutions of methylen-blue and fuchsin 
seem to color this organism the most satisfactorily in tissues. 
They may be demonstrated in the blood both by microscopical 
examination and cultures several hours before the death of the 
animal. 
u The greater number appear as short elongated bodies—bac¬ 
teria—twice as long as wide, with distinctly-marked ends and a 
'clear middle section; four of them in connection correspond to 
the transverse diameter of a red blood cell.” 
According to Hueppe, this description corresponds nearly 
enough to warrant his conclusions, to the appearance and stain¬ 
ing reaction of the bacteria of the German “ schwdneseuche ” 
and hen cholera. I have in my possession a bacterium derived 
