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Scientific Memoirs by
of the Bacilli. The laboratory was closed from the middle of March until the
6th of May, and during the interval all the tube-cultivations of Comma-Bacilli,
even those specially set on the 18th of March, had completely died out. This
was not at first sight regarded as a matter of any importance, as it appeared
desirable to carry out the experiments with cultivations of the Bacilli not too far
removed in succession from their original choleraic source, and, taking the time
of year into account, there appeared to be no likelihood of any difficulty being
encountered in securing a fresh stock. Steps were at once taken to obtain sup
-plies of choleraic materials. These were at first derived from the Medical Col
-lege Hospital, but, although derived from cases regarded and recorded as cases
of cholera, and more than one of which terminated fatally, in no instance could
any Comma-Bacilli be obtained from them in spite of most careful and repeated
cultivations. The materials derived from this source proving so unfruitful, mate
-rials were next obtained from the Sealdah Hospital. These, as in the previous
case, were derived from cases which were regarded as typical cases of cholera,
but for some time the results were identical with those recorded of the other
materials—they failed absolutely to show any evidences of containing Comma
-Bacilli. This persistent and uniform absence of Comma-Bacilli in cultivations
of materials of affirmed and apparent choleraic nature was so remarkable and
unexpected that a suspicion not unnaturally arose in regard to the quality of the
materials forming the basis of the cultivations, which, as usual during the hot
season, consisted of Agar-Agar beef juice gelatine. Several successive samples
of this were accordingly prepared with special care, but all alike continued
to furnish the same negative results. The quality of the Peptonum siccum
employed in the preparation of the medium was next specially suspected, as
that in use, although most carefully preserved, had been in the laboratory for
some years, and a fresh supply was accordingly ordered out from Berlin. At
length, however, before this had arrived, one out of 11 successive specimens of
choleraic materials, derived from as many reputed cases of the disease, yielded
a crop of Comma-Bacilli on cultivation, It was obtained from the Sealdah Hos
-pital, and a plate-cultivation inoculated from it in the usual fashion yielded a
practically pure crop consisting of innumerable colonies of characteristic Comma
-Bacilli. This removed suspicion from one of the successive supplies of the
cultivating medium which had been prepared, and on trying the others as bases
for the growth of the Bacilli which had now been obtained, it was definitely
ascertained that the previous consistent failure in the appearance of the Com
-mas was not due to any error in the constitution of the various media, as they
all alike now yielded abundant crops of characteristic Comma-Bacilli.
The interpretation which will be put on this phenomenon will, of course,
vary with the views, which are entertained by those considering it, in regard to the
relation existent between Comma-Bacilli and cholera. Those who are convinced
that cholera is caused by the presence of Comma-Bacilli within the intestinal