NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
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SCIENTIFIC MEMORIES
BY MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE ARMY OF INDIA.
EDITED BY
B. SIMPSON, Esq., M.D.,
SURGEON-GENERAL WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.
PART II.
1886.
1.—On the Effects sometimes following injection of Choleraic Comma-bacilli into
the Subcutaneous Tissues in Guinea-pigs.—D. D. Cunningham.
2.—On the Life History of a new Æcidium on Strobilanthes dalhousianus,
Clarke.—A. Barclay.
3.—Æcidium Urticæ, Schum., var. Himalayense.—A. Barclay.
4.—On the Phenomenon of Gaseous Evolution from the Flowers of Ottelia
alismoides.—D. D. Cunningham.
5.—The Fertilization of Ficus hispida: A Problem in Vegetable Physio-
logy.—G. King
.
6.—Note on Eggs of Distoma (Bilharzia) Hæmatobium found in transport
cattle, Calcutta.—G. Bomford.
CALCUTTA:
PRINTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, INDIA.
1887.
Price 2 rupees.
x
SCIENTIFIC MEMOIRS
BY
MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE ARMY OF INDIA.
EDITED BY
B. SIMPSON, EsQ., M.D.,
SURGEON-GENERAL WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.
PART II.
1886.
1.—On the Effects sometimes following injection of Choleraic Comma-bacilli
into the Subcutaneous Tissues in Guinea-pigs.— D. D. Cunningham.
2.—On the Life History of a new Æcidium on Strobilanthes dalhousianus,
Clarke.—A. Barclay.
3.—Æcidium Urticæ,Schur., var. Himalayense.—A. Barclay.
4.—On the Phenomenon of Gaseous Evolution from the Flowers of Ottelia
alismoides.—D. D. Cunningham.
5.—The Fertilization of Ficus hispida : A Problem in Vegetable Physio-
logy.—G. King.
6.—Note on Eggs of Distoma (Bilharzia) Hæmatobium found in transport
cattle, Calcutta. — G Bomford.
CALCUTTA:
PRINTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, INDIA.
1887.
Price 2 rupees.
On the Effects sometimes following injection of Choleraic Comma-
bacilli into the Subcutaneous Tissues in Guinea-pigs.
BY
SURGEON-MAJOR D. D. CUNNINGHAM, M.B.,
SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE SANITARY COMMISSIONER WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA.
(With Plate I.)
During the course of the past few weeks I have met with a series of phe-
nomena in certain experiments on the subcutaneous injection of choleraic comma-
bacilli into the bodies of guinea-pigs which appear to be sufficiently remarkable
to merit special record. I propose, therefore, in the present paper to give a
detailed account of these experiments and their results, along with a few brief
notes regarding their apparent significance.
I.—Source of the material employed in the experiments.
The commas employed in all the experiments belonged to a series of
cultivations originally derived from a case of cholera which was admitted into the
Medical College Hospital on the 21st January 1886. A portion of a fresh eva-
cuation was sent to me for examination on that day. It consisted of a brownish-
grey, alkaline, watery fluid, and an abundant sediment of gelatinous, somewhat
pinkish flocculi.
The examination of fresh preparations, made immediately on the arrival of
the material, showed that it was crowded with schizomycete organisms of various
forms. Commas were only present in very small numbers and constituted a very
inconspicuous feature as compared with other forms.
In spite of this, however, a plate cultivation yielded what was practically
a pure crop of commatous colonies. These were present in innumerable
numbers, and the only other form of colonies recognisable were two or three
consisting of a very large kind of micrococcus which was present as a conspi-
cuous feature in the original material. This plate afforded the starting-point for
a series of successive pure tube cultivations of the commas which were employed
in the experiments.
II.—Details of the individual experiments.
Experiment 1.
On the 9th of February a healthy guinea-pig, weighing 482 grammes,
received a subcutaneous injection of a little less than 1 c. c. of fluid, con-
2
Scientific Memoirs by
sisting of sterilised 0.8 % salt solution full of commas derived from a pure tube
cultivation of commas of four days' standing. The site of the injection was the
inner surface of the left thigh. Every precaution was taken to avoid any acci
-dental contamination. The syringe which was employed had been immediately
beforehand soaked in strong carbolic acid and then thoroughly washed in recti
-fied spirit and in freshly boiled, distilled water. The site of injection was cleared
of hair and carefully washed with solution of corrosive sublimate and with spirit,
and the skin was drawn aside ere the introduction of the point of the syringe so
as to secure a valvular action on its subsequent release.
On the 10th of February the animal appeared to be unaffected, save that it
was slightly lame in the injected extremity. On the 11th of February at 9 A.M.,
however, it was conspicuously affected. It was lying down, and constantly
uttering peculiar sharp cries as though of pain. It evidently felt cold and its
respirations were very rapid. There were constantly recurring peculiar twitching
movements of the abdominal and aural muscles, and evidences of pain on any
pressure of the abdominal walls. In the afternoon at 4 P.M. it was still alive.
The general symptoms were much the same as in the morning. It was unable
to stand or walk, the eyes were much sunken, the surface of the body sensibly
cold to touch, and it was constantly squeaking feebly.
It died during the course of the night, and the body was examined at 10
A.M. on the 12th February. The total body weight was 429 grammes, 'so that
there had been a loss in weight of almost exactly 11 % since the operation.
The weights of the body and of various organs are shown in the following
table :—
Of total
weight.
Liver
.
.
.
. .
.
. 29.0 grammes = 6 . 7 %
Spleen
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1.8
„
=0.419%
Right kidney
.
. .
.
. .
3.0
, ,
=0.69 %
Left
,,
.
.
.
.
.
.
2.8
, ,
= 0 . 6 5 %
Right.lung
.
.
. .
.
.
2.0
, , = 0 . 4 6 %
Left
,,
. .
.
.
. .
1.9
,,
=0.44 %
Heart
.
.
.
.
. .
. 3.8
, ,
=0.88 %
The next table shows the corresponding weights in the body of a healthy
guinea-pig in which they were specially determined :—
Total body weight
.
.
.
.
.
.
=452 grammes.
Liver
.
. .
.
.
.
. 32.36 grammes =7.1 %
Spleen
.
.
.
.
. .
. 0.44
,,
=0.09%
Right kidney
.
.
.
.
.
. 1 86
, ,
=0.41%
Left
„
. .
.
.
.
. 1.9
,,
=0.42%
Right lung
.
.
.
.
.
. 1.64
, ,
=0.36%
Left
,,
. .
.
.
.
. 1.24
, ,
=0.27%
On comparing the above series of figures it is evident that in this case
Medical Officers of the Army of India.
3
there was slight diminution in the relative weight of the liver, and increase in the
weights of all the other organs and specially in that of the spleen.
On removing the skin a large patch of sanguineous effusion became visible,
thickest over the site of injection and spreading up thence over the lower half
of the abdomen on the same side. On opening the abdominal cavity the sur-
face of the peritoneum was found to be coated with a thin stratum of sticky
secretion, very similar to that present in many cases of cholera. This caused
the surfaces of the viscera to adhere more or less to one another, but there was
an absence of fluid, of congestion, or of adhesions of a characteristically peri-
tonitic character. The stomach was pale, and contained a mixture of gelatinous,
transparent mucus, and brown grumous matter. The small intestine was empty,
the mucous surface being pale and very moist, and here and there covered by
patches of brownish mucus. The cæcum contained a considerable quantity of
soft, pale umber contents, which seemed to be rather dryer than normal. The
reaction was neutral. The rest of the large intestine was pale and empty,
save towards the lower end, where one or two formed fæcal pellets were
present. The liver was rather pale and the gall-bladder distended with pale-
yellowish bile. The spleen was dark red and the kidneys were congested. On
opening the thoracic cavity the lungs were found to be pale pink and free
from congestion or extravasations. The right side of the heart was distended
with blood.
A series of preparations of the materials of the subcutaneous sanguineous
effusion, of the peritoneal secretion, the cardiac blood and the contents of the
large and small intestine, was made with the following results :—
1. —Subcutaneous sanguineous effusion.
This was full of comma-bacilli.
2. Peritoneal secretion.
This also contained abundant characteristic commas.
3. Cardiac blood.
No commas or other schizomycetes were to be found.
4. Intestinal contents.
The material derived from the small intestine consisted of some of the
brownish mucus previously alluded to, obtained from a patch of it situated in the
ileum.
It only contained a very few recognisable epithelial elements, the greater
part consisting of amorphous mucoid matter. In this basis very large numbers of
characteristic small commas were present. Some of them were irregularly scat-
tered through the basis ; a large number of them, however, were associated in
small groups, and some of these were clearly specially related to large nuclear
bodies, the commas being aggregated on and around these ( vide Plate I, Fig. 3).
B 2
4
Scientific Memoirs by
In such cases it was clearly evident that one was dealing with bodies parallel
to those described by Drs. Klein and Gibbes in connection with the small
straight bacilli which they have pointed out as a characteristic feature in choler-
aic materials. The mucus from the large intestine also contained small commas,
but not in at all such large proportion, and the large curved forms normally pre-
sent there occurred in relatively very small numbers only.
Various cultivations were carried out with the following results :
—
1. A plate cultivation of the subcutaneous sanguineous effusion yielded
a pure crop of abundant commatous colonies.
2. A plate cultivation of mucus from the ileum yielded a crop of commas
mingled with colonies of short, straight bacilli.
3. A plate cultivation of materials from the cæcum gave similar results.
4. A tube cultivation of cardiac blood obtained by direct perforation
of the right side of the heart by the point of a freshly-drawn capillary
pipette, the point being broken within the cardiac cavity, and direct
inoculation of an agar-agar tube being subsequently carried out. This
yielded a pure crop of commas.
An extensive series of preparations of various tissues which had been pre-
served in absolute alcohol was subsequently carefully examined. In spite of varied
methods of staining, no traces of the presence of commatous or other schizomy-
cete forms could be detected in the substance of the liver, spleen, kidneys, or
lungs. The mucous membrane of the small and large intestines appeared to be
normal. There was no recognisable evidence of the occurrence of any extensive
desquamation of epithelial elements, and the tissues of the intestinal wall were free
from any signs of invasion by commas.
Experiment 2.
A healthy female guinea-pig weighing 868 grammes was inoculated by
the subcutaneous injection of about 0.5 c. c. of sterilised 0.8% salt solution full
of commas. These were obtained from a pure tube cultivation derived from
the primary tube cultivation of the cardiac blood of the previous animal.
The operation was performed on the 17th February and was carried out with
the same antiseptic precautions as in the previous case. The syringe employed
was a different one. On the morning of the 18th the animal aborted, producing
three immature young, and when first seen it was slightly lame. At 4-30 P.M. it
was lame, its respirations were between 90 and 100 per minute, it was inclined to
lie still and its eyes were somewhat sunken.
It died during the night, and the body was examined at 11-45 A.M. on
the 19th February.
Medical Officers of the Army of India.
5
The weights of the principal abdominal and thoracic organs were as
follows :—
Liver .
.
.
.
.
.
.
29.42 grammes.
Splee
.
.
.
.
.
.
0.52
, ,
Right kidney
.
.
.
.
.
2.6
,,
Left
,, .
.
.
.
.
.
2 . 5 5
,,
Right lung .
.
.
.
.
3.52
, ,
Left
„
.
.
.
.
.
.
2.55
, ,
Heart
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
3.87
,,
The appearances generally were similar to those in the previous case.
There was subcutaneous sanguineous effusion in the site of injection, which,
as in the previous case, was in the inner aspect of the left thigh, and extending
thence over the lower half of the abdomen on both sides.
The peritoneal surface was covered by a thin, sticky, transparent secre
- t i o n w h i c h c a u s e d t h e f o l d s o f t h e i n t e s t i n e t o a d h e r e t o o n e a n o t h e r .
The small intestine was almost empty, and the surface of its mucous membrane
was very moist. The cæcum contained material like that in the previous case.
The upper portion of the colon was empty, but towards the lower end there were
a few formed fæcal pellets. The liver was pale colored and the gall-bladder full
of pale, watery, yellowish fluid. The spleen was dark red. The kidneys were firm
in texture, and normal in color. The lungs were pale, save towards the lower part
of the left one, where some patches of congestion were present. The right side
of the heart was gorged with blood. Preparations were made at once of the sub
-cutaneous sanguineous effusion, the peritoneal secretion, the cardiac blood, and
the intestinal contents.
The subcutaneous effusion was full of commas. The peritoneal secretion
also contained an abundance of them. None could be recognised in the cardiac
blood. The mucus from the ileum contained numerous disintegrating epithelial
elements. Commas were evenly sprinkled through it, but were not present
in such great numbers as in the previous case. The contents of the large intes
-tine resembled those in the previous case in general character. Cultivations gave.
the following results:—
1. A tube cultivation of the peritoneal secretion gave an abundant and
very rapidly growing crop of pure commas.
2. All three punctures in a tube inoculated with cardiac blood as in the
previous case yielded pure crops of commas.
3. A plate cultivation of the iliac mucus yielded an almost pure crop
consisting of innumerable, small, commatous colonies.
The microscopic examination of the tissues and organs also gave results
similar to those in the previous case. As in it, there was no evidence of the
presence of any schizomycetes in the substance of the intestinal walls. There
were, however, appearances indicative of a greater tendency to epithelial desquama-
6
Scientific Memoirs by
tion—appearances quite corresponding with the comparatively large numbers of
detached elements present in the mucus.
Experiment 3.
A healthy guinea-pig weighing 650 grammes was subcutaneously inoculated
with a drop of sterilised 0.8 salt solution full of commas belonging to a
secondary tube cultivation of pure commas derived from the iliac mucus of the
previous case. The operation was performed at noon on the 23rd February.
The animal was apparently unaffected, but a considerable loss of weight occurred,
as on the 26th February it weighed only 619 grammes. On the 1st March its
weight had increased to 629 grammes, and it was then inoculated subcutane
-ously in the right thigh with 0.33 c. c. of material derived from a tertiary tube of a
week's growth of commas derived from the iliac mucus in Experiment 2. The
animal appeared to be unaffected, but a fresh considerable loss of weight occur
- r e d , s o t h a t o n t h e 4 t h M a r c h i t o n l y w e i g h e d 5 9 5 g r a m m e s . A f r e s h i n o c u l a t i o n
was then carried out, 1 c. c. of fluid full of commas from a tube cultivation
derived from the peritoneal secretion of the guinea-pig of Experiment 2, being
injected into the subcutaneous tissue of the abdominal region. No result followed,
and on the 8th March the body weight had gone up to 620 grammes.
The animal was then killed and the body examined with the following
results :—
Weights of various organs.
Liver
.
.
.
.
. .
.
. 30.11 grammes.
Spleen .
.
. .
.
.
.
.
0.7
, ,
Right kidney . .
.
. .
. .
.
2.38
,,
Left
,,
.
.
. .
. .
.
2.47
, ,
Right lung .
.
.
. .
.
.
1.68
, ,
Left
„
.
. .
.
.
.
.
1.41
,,
Heart .
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
3.75
, ,
On removing the skin there were slight evidences of a limited amount of
inflammatory effusion in the sites of the two later injections in the right groin
and anterior abdominal surface.
The peritoneal surface was smooth, moist, and entirely free from the sticky
secretion present in the two previous cases. The stomach was full of undigest
- e d f o o d . T h e s m a l l i n t e s t i n e c o n t a i n e d s o f t g r e e n i s h - b r o w n f o o d s u b s t a n c e .
Peyer's patches were conspicuous and prominent on the mucous surface. The
cæcum was full of rather pale, greenish-brown pulp, and the colon throughout
contained normal fæcal pellets in its pouches. The liver was soft in texture
and very full of blood. The gall-bladder contained pale-yellow bile. The
kidneys were full of blood. The spleen was dark red. The lungs collapsed
freely and were then pale throughout.
7
Medical Officers of the Army of India.
Fresh preparations of the remains of subcutaneous effusion and of the perito-
neal secretion and blood failed to show any commas, and tube cultivations of
cardiac blood, of the subcutaneous effusion and the peritoneal secretion, did not
produce any.
Experiment 4.
A healthy guinea-pig inoculated on the 8th March. The weight of the
animal was 776 grammes, and 1 c. c. of fluid full of commas from a pure tube
cultivation of the original choleraic commas of forty-eight hours' growth was
injected subcutaneously in the left thigh.
No conspicuous results followed, but as usual there was a considerable loss
of weight. On the 12th March, when the weight was 700 grammes, about 1 c. c.
of fluid full of commas belonging to the series of cultivation of the original
choleraic material was injected into the peritoneal cavity. No apparent effects
were produced and the animal was accordingly killed on the 15th March.
The total body weight was then 720 grammes, and the weights of various
organs were as follows :—
Liver
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
. 37.07 grammes.
Spleen
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
0.8
, ,
Right kidney
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
2.4
, ,
Left
,,
.
.
.
.
.
2.37
,,
Right lung
.
.
.
.
.
.
2.77
, ,
Left
„
.
.
.
.
.
.
2.02
, ,
Heart
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
4.2
, ,
There was a large amount of sanguineous, subcutaneous effusion spreading
upwards over the lower part Of the abdomen from the site of original inoculation
in the left groin.
The peritoneal surface was normal and devoid of any sticky secretion or
signs of inflammatory action. The stomach was full of undigested food. The
small intestine presented normal appearances. The cæcum and upper portion
of the colon were full of soft, greenish-grey, pulpy matter, and the lower portion
of the colon contained normal, formed fæcal pellets.
Fresh preparations of the subcutaneous effusion, of the peritoneal secretion,
of cardiac blood, and of the contents of the intestinal tube, were examined. Un-
equivocal commas were absent alike from the subcutaneous effusion, the peritoneal
secretion, and the cardiac blood. The intestinal contents presented normal
microscopic features, and, especially as regards those related to the large intes-
tine, contained an abundance of the commatous forms normally occurring in them
in health. Tube cultivations of the subcutaneous effusion, the peritoneal secre-
tion, and the cardiac blood, agreed in failing to yield any commas. A similar
result followed in the case of plate cultivations of materials derived from the con-
tents of the ileum, cæcum, and colon. A very extensive series of preparations
were made from these, and numerous successive cultivations were carried out,
but the results were merely those characteristic of cultivations of the normal
8
Scientific Memoirs by
intestinal contents. In not a single case could any growth of commas be
detected among the comparatively limited number of colonies of any kind which
were developed.
Experiment 5.
A small healthy guinea-pig weighing 300 grammes was inoculated with
a b o u t 1 c . c . o f f l u i d c o n t a i n i n g c o m m a s f r o m a c u l t i v a t i o n o f t h e o r i g i n a l c h o l e r a i c
series of six days' duration. The material was injected into the subcutaneous
tissue of the inner surface of the left thigh, and all the details of the operation
were carried out as usual. On the following day the animal was lively and
apparently quite unaffected. On the 20th of March, 48 hours after the operation,
it was in the same condition. On the following morning, however, it was
decidedly affected. The abdomen appeared to be somewhat swollen and it was
suffering from diarrhœa. It died during the course of the following night, and
the body was examined at to A.M. on the 22nd.
The body was perfectly fresh and post-mortem rigidity was well marked.
The total weight of the body was 263 grammes. The weights of the principal
thoracic and abdominal organs were as follows :—
Live
.
.
.
.
.
. 15 . 22 grammes.
Spleen .
.
.
.
.
.
.
0.6
"
Right kidney .
.
.
.
.
.
1.25
"
Left, "
.
.
.
.
.
.
1.3
"
Right lung
.
.
.
.
.
.
1.7
"
Left
"
.
.
.
.
.
.
1.35
"
Heart .
.
.
.
.
.
.
1.8
"
On removing the skin the subcutaneous tissue over the entire anterior sur-
face of the abdomen and thorax was found to be deeply congested, and masses of
sanguineous effusion were present in the groins and axillæ. The peritoneal
cavity contained no fluid, nor were any defined adhesions present, but the
surface was everywhere covered by a thin layer of sticky material which caused
the loops of the intestine to adhere to one another where in contact. The
parietal stratum was pinkish and slightly congested. The small intestines were
full, throughout of a watery fluid full of fine whitish or yellowish flocculi. In the
ileum the accumulation of fluid was so considerable as to cause a certain
amount of actual distension. The intestinal walls were pale, and, on laying
open the canal, they were manifestly abnormally thin. The stomach contained
fluid like that in the small intestine. The cæcum was half full of thick, frothy
fluid of a pale greenish-grey color. Similar fluid was present in the upper part
of the colon, but in the lower part a few scattered, more or less formed, pale
pellets were present.
The liver and kidneys were somewhat pale. The spleen was relatively
rather large and of a dull red color. The lungs appeared to be normal. The
right half of the heart was full of blood.