4
.
A preliminary paper recording the results already obtained in the case of
Herpetemonas musece domestiecæ will shortly be published, and at some later date a
complete account will be given of the life history of this important flagellate.
It is hoped in time to describe some twelve to. sixteen fla gellate from various. noi
insects in exactly the same way, all the descriptions being based on the study
insects experimentally infected.
, rea
The breeding habits of many of the common diptera have of necessity been a
closely studied and at the same time accurately identified specimens are being
is a
collected and in this latter work much help has been given by Mr. Austin of the
hoi
British Museum.
1114
a
–
4
Vaccine Therapy.—This is at once a most interesting and important line of it
investigation. An ever-increasing mass of evidence goes to show that in this line a h
of treatment we have a very powerful weapon in the struggle against disease. A son
few most encouraging results have been got by the use of vaccine es prepared at the it
Institute from organisms derived from the patients. To get the best results how ten
ever it is essential not only that the most suitable material should be collected from in a
the patient, but that it should be transported to the laboratory and worked up in
the most rapid manner possible. This, with the preparation of the special
media of t
f r e que nt l y r e qui r e d, woul d r e qui r e t he whol e t i me of a me di c a l ma n s pe c i a l l y t r a i ne d a t 1 ,
for the work, and it has not been possible to arrange this with the present staff.
the
The examination of pathological and other material sent to the laboratory for gay
report continues to form an increasing item in the work. During the nine months aga
under report 2,425 specimens were received and examined. As usual there were a
considerable numbers of unsuitable specimens. The majority of these were from
Pan
rats in such a decomposed condition that it was impossible to say whether they had 1 gav
been infected with plague or not. The remainder, only nineteen, were such as ilia
where too little, too much or unsuitable material had been sent.
to fi
Number of
Number of
Description of specimens.
positive
negative
Total.
results.
results.
Plague, human
...
...
...
...
...
...
c
...
25
127
152
Plague, animal
.
...
...
...
...
...
..
...
18
1,797
1,815
Blood for Widai test
...
...
...
...
...
...
142
106
248
Gartner reaction
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
1
14
15
Para typhoid—A...
...
...
...
...
...
7
7
...
Do.
B
8
8
16
Blood for Malta fever ...
..6
e . . .
. .
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .
Blood for malarial parasites
..
15
59
74
"" — . — ...
Blood for leucocytosis ...
....
...
...
...
...
... ...
.
5.
Sputum for tubercle bacilli
...
...
...
...
.,.
...
11
26
. 37
Gonococci (discharges)
...
...
...
...
.,1
4
5
.
...
Specimens for lepræ bacilli
...3
7
...
...
...
...
...
Water- —8
Cholera
2
11
13
...
...
...
...
Urine for chemical and microscopical examination6
• -
—
...
Vomit...
...
..
...
...
...
...
...
...
Stools(amoωba) ...
...
...
...
...
,..
...
...
2
4
6
Spirochæta pallida
1
...
1
Miscellaneous...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
. ... 6
Uns uitable
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
19
—
—
Total ...
229
2,179
2,444
In the above table the specimens sent for examination are arranged as usual to
show (a) their nature, (b) the object for which they were examined, (c) the result
of the examination—whether positive or negative. There is not much to be said
about them
(1) Plague, human.—About the same proportion, 20 per cent. of the specimens
sent were found to show the presence of plague bacilli.
(2) Plague in other animals.— A very much smaller proportion were found
be infected this year.
(3) Widal's reaction.—.A certain amount of misapprehension appears to exist
as to the interpretation to be placed on the results obtained by these tests. When
a bacteriologist reports that a given blood reacts to the germ of typhoid fever or
other disease, he must not be held to have stated that the patient is presently'
undergoing an enteric or other process. All he can say, under the circumstances,..,