14
REPORT OF THE KING INSTITUTE, GUINDY
13. Treatment of puerperal sepsis by vaccines.— This treatment is given at
the Government Hospital for Women and Children and is controlled bacteriolo--
gically by work at this Institute under Dr. Theodore. Usually stock vaccines
from puerperal strains are given according to the preponderating organisms found.
We understand that very good results are being obtained, so much so that stock
vaccines are now used prophylactically when from the nature of the cases sepsis
threatens. Autogenous vaccines are used in the more prolonged cases.
14. Treatment of small-pox.— Dr. Theodore has tried aborting vaccinia in
rabbits by injecting potassium permanganate solutions intravenously. Since these
experiments met with some success three cases of small-pox were similarly treated
by the kind co-operation of the Medical Officer in charge of the Infectious Diseases
Hospital, Tondiarpet. All these cases did very well, but of course the number
treated is too few to be certain yet of the value of the treatment.
15. Enriching media for the gonococcus.— This is a difficult organism to
grow. Dr. Theodore has shown that a very good medium is obtained by making
use of human placentas as the basis for the broth for a serum agar.
16. A bacteriological investigation into Endocular inflammations.—Military
Assistant Surgeon J. H. Theodore, I.M.D., carried out the bacteriological work at
the Institute and at the Government Ophthalmic Hospital, Madras, whose
superintendent Lt.-Col. R. E. Wright, had obtained a grant from the
Indian Research Fund for the investigation. His first work was directed to
examine all iris tissue removed by operation. A full report has been submitted
by Lt.-Col. Wright in the Annual Report of the Ophthalmic Hospital for
1926. Briefly, it was found that in about 50 per cent of cases the conjunctiva
despite irrigation with antiseptics was not sterile, so any iris tissue removed was
liable to contamination from the conjunctiva either in course of removal or by
organisms being washed in from the conjunctiva by the irrigation of fluid.
Accordingly all cultures from iris tissue had to be controlled by cultures from the
conjunctiva. On one occasion an organism—a Gram negative cocco-bacillus was
isolated from the iris without its being present in the cultures from the
conjunctiva. This organism was pathogenic in the eyes of rabbits producing
iritis and hypopyon. The work will be resumed on Col. Wright's return from
leave.
17. Serological classification of Streptococci.—Civil Surgeon T. Sitapati
Ayyar has been working at the Serological reactions of streptococci isolated from
different diseases such as pemphigus, erysipelas, puerperal sepsis, respiratory and
intestinal diseases, etc. High titre sera have been made from several strains and
so far it appears that strains from different diseases are quite distinct and can be
separated by these serological reactions. The research is being continued.
18. Classification of Coliform bacteria.—Civil Surgeon T. Sitapati Ayyar
continued to work on this important subject attempting to differentiate by
serological methods B. Coli and all lactose fermenters from human sources from
those from other sources such as animals and soil. The research is being
continued. Mr. T. N. S. Raghavachari, Senior Bacteriological Assistant in the
Public Health Section is collaborating with Dr. Sitapati and is continuing his
own work on this same subject by using other methods—Koser's citrate utilization
test and other bio-chemical tests based on the hydrogen ion concentration reached
in cultures.
19. Observations on three varieties of Mycetoma and on a Rhinosporidium.—
Reference page (6) of last year's report. Civil Surgeon T. Sitapati Ayyar
continued to work on these organisms. A fungus of the red variety of mycetoma
has been isolated for the first time. Hitherto only the black and white varieties
have been described. A hyphomycete was grown from the rhinosporidium thus
confirming Professor Ashworth's findings which relegate these organisms to the
fungi instead of to the protozoa.
20. The Pathogenicity of atypical Vibrios found in water.—Mr. T. N. S.
Raghavachari has isolated seven strains from different localities of atypical cholera
like vibrios. None agglutinated with true cholera high titre serum in any