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The analysis of one gram of the black mass taken from the soil shows no lactose
fermenters at all. No acid. and gas reaction could be obtained in the bile salt medium.
Sporogenes enteritidis spores were absent.
Sample (a-1).—The results of the above analysis seem so important that a
second estimation from the same sample was carried out, one gram of earth being taken.
In this case also no lactose fermenting organism could be isolated from one gram of
earth, nor could any sporogenes enteritidis be found.
Sample (b).—This sample was taken from a trench that was filled in some-
thing between four and five years ago, to be on the safe side, we say four years ago.
From one gram of this sample bacillus clocæ was isolated. Sporogenes enteritidis
spores were absent.
Sample (b-1).—The second sample was taken, and this time no proper lactose
fermenting organisms were isolated. Sporogenes enteritidis were absent.
Sample (c) was taken from a trench that was filled three years ago. One gram
of the black peaty mass was used for this analysis. No lactose fementers were
isolated, the reaction in the MacConkey's broth was anomalous, faint acidity and a very
few small bubbles of gas were observed. Sporogenes enteritidis were absent.
Sample (c-1).-----There was acid and gas in small quantities, one colony of
bacillus acidi lactici being found present. Sporogenes enteritidis were also present.
Sample (d) was taken from the sand underlying the black layer in the same
trench as sample (c). Sample (d) gave no lactose fermenters, no sporogenes
enteritidis were present.
Sample (d-1) gave the same result..
Sample (e).—This trench was filled in about the rains, that is to say, about
August 1906. No typical lactose fermenters were found. The reaction in the
MacConkey's broth gave no gas. Sporogenes enteritidis were present.
Sample (e-1), which was a repetition of the same sample, gave the usual acid
and gas reaction in the MacConkey's test, bacillus cloacæ, bacillus grunthal,
eoscoroba were isolated. Sporogenes enteritidis were present.
Sample ( f )..--The night-soil was placed in this trench a year ago. The
night-soil had become quite dry, black and free from odour. Acid and gas reaction
. was normal in bile salt broth. Bacillus grunthal and coscoroba were isolated in the
earth.
On repeating the examination from the same sample (f-1) the bacillus
grunthal was again isolated, sporogenes enteritidis being present in both samples.
Sample (g).—This trench was filled in only two months previously. Sample
was taken on October 15th. The night soil was plainly visible in the form of dark
green, evil-smelling, diffluent mass. This was mixed up with some of the sand lying
alongside, and brought to the laboratory for analysis. The analysis showed the presence
of ordinary lactose fermenters among which bacillus grunthal very largely preponderated.
Sample (g-1) gave precisely the same result, sporogenes enteritidis
b e i n g p r e s e n t i n b o t h .
Referring to these Coeanada samples in order, we pass over samples (g) and (g-1) for
the present, as theybe dealt with later on. In sample (f) and (f-1), after the
fæces had been one year in the ground, the common fcal bacilli were present in
large numbers.
• In sample (e) and (e-1) the night-soil having been in the ground for a little over two
years, these organisms were still present in 1 gram of the earth. Sporogenes enteritidis
spores also were present.
In sample (d) and (d-1), no lactose fermenting bacilli of any kind could be found in
the ground immediately underlying the black mass, that once was night-soil, this having
been in the ground three years at least ; sporogenes enteritidis however were still found
in this earth.
In samples (c) and (c-1), the night-soil, referred to when discussing sample (d) as
having been in the ground three years appeared to have reached the stage when fecal
o rganisms were very rare in 1 gram ; for in (c) no lactose fermenters at all could be
•
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