NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
PLATE I.
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 2.
G. A. Buckmaster, del.
Reg No. 320, Leprosy Com.—Sept 91 —310.
Reg No. 520R, Leprosy Com.—May 92.—1,004 —Oct. 92.—1,000.
Litho, S. I. O., Calcutta.
Explanation of Plate II.
FIG. I.—Surface pellicle on bouillon. This was the original cul-
ture from blister fluid in which bacilli had multi-
plied. The broken capillary tube containing this
fluid is seen at the bottom of the culture. A
surface pellicle, general slight turbidity, and just
a faint bottom deposit are seen. Appearance on
twelfth day after introduction of the capillary
tube.
FIG. 2.—First generation on gelatine three days after inoculation
from culture of Fig. I. Central pellicle, and com-
mencing fluidity of gelatine. Absence of growth
in the needle track to any extent.
FIG. 3.—Appearance of the gelatine culture of Fig. 2 twenty days
later, showing a thick tenacious surface scum
which is capable of being drawn out into threads,
and a clear liquid gelatine with deposits of ropy
sticky culture.
FIG. 4.—Culture on Agar. Piece of tubercle from centre of the
lobe of the ear. The inoculation was made on
May 22nd. Appearance six weeks subsequently.
No trace of bacilli of any kind, but a rich growth
starting from the tubercle of staphylococcus albus
and cereus.
FIG. 5.—First generation on Agar from original bouillon. Ap-
pearance of growth on third day.
FIG. 6.— Same culture as Fig. 5, showing appearance at end of
sixth day.
PLATE II.
G. A. Buckmaster, del.
Reg. No. 420, Leprosy Com.- Sept. 92.-1000.
Litho., S I. O., Calcutta.
Explanation of Plate III.
FIG. I.—Culture of bacillus in bouillon on eleventh day (original
culture). Carbol-fuchsin; water; 20 per cent.
nitric acid. Winkel Homog. Immersion 1/14,
ocular 4.
FIG. 2.—Same culture as Fig. I; five days later, showing hull.
Gram's Method, Winkel Homog. Immersion 1/14,
ocular 4.
FIG. 3.—Second generation on gelatine; three days old. Carbol-
fuchsin; water, and subsequent 20 per cent. nitric
acid. Winkel Homog. Immersion 1/14, ocular 4.
FIG. 4.—Second generation on Agar from first generation on
Agar; two days old. Carbol-fuchsin; water, and
subsequent 20 per cent. nitric acid. There is a
hull round a few bacilli, and being drawn in water,
these appear rather large.
FIG. 5.—First generation on Agar from original; three days old,
showing the commencing grouping together of
the bacilli owing to the development of a mucin (?)
hull. Magnification as above.
FIG. 6.—A small colony of first generation on Agar; five days
old, showing peculiar grouping of bacilli into
heaps very comparable to the grouping in tissues.
Methyl Blue. Winkel 1/14, ocular 3.
FIG. 7.—Culture of bacillus resembling the vacuolated bacilli
figured by Neisser. Magnification as above.
FIG. 8.—Appearance exhibited by bacilli described by Neisser as
Kugel Bacteria. Magnification as above.
All the figures were drawn with the Camera Lucida.
PLATE III.
Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 5.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 7.
Fig. 8.
Fig. 6.
G. A. Buckmaster, del.
Reg. No. 391, Leprosy Com.—Oct. 91.—310.
Reg. No. 391 R., Leprosy Com.—May. 92.—1,004. Oct. 92.—1,000.
Litho., S. I. O., Calcutta.
Appendix I.
393
The following is a record of Laboratory work which was done at
Almora and Simla by Drs. Rake, Buckmaster, and Surgeon-Major
Thomson.
I.—THE BACILLUS LEPRÆ.
The microscopical examination of the pathological neoplasms or
tubercles which are characteristic of one form of leprosy was first
made by Virchow in 1859. 1 The appearances presented by the nerves
in the anaesthetic form are also figured by the same observer. In
both these forms of the disease typical nucleated lepra-cells were
seen which contained granular matter. Vandyke Carter by his re-
searches, carried on independently in Bombay, constantly found these
specific structural elements present in leprosy, 2 and Klebs 3 in 1873
drew attention to the fact " that in freshly extirpated tubercles,
groups of bacteria, which in form and arrangement totally differed
from those met with in other diseases, could be seen without diffi-
culty." Armauer Hansen in 1868 and 1873 described movable rod-
shaped bodies in fresh tubercles, and yellow spherical masses which
possibly were zooglœa masses in older ones. In 1880 the Nor-
wegian observer, who during the preceding seven years had shown
his preparations to numbers of medical men, published a record of
his experiments and observations accompanied with figures, in which
the granular masses within the lepra-cells were shown to be heaps of
bacilli. 41 At this period the work of Koch 5 and Weigert, 6 which is
the foundation of scientific bacteriological method, was all but un-
known, and with the exception of the Bacillus Anthracis 7 and some
ill-defined bacteria connected with Pyaemia and Septicaemia, 8 scarcely
a single definite pathogenic organism had been discovered. 9 Among
0) Die Krankhaften Geschwülste, Bd. II, p. 494.
( 2 ) On Leprosy and Elephantiasis 3 Vandyke Carter, 1874, pp. 169,170, Plate XII.
( 3 ) Archiv, f. Experiment. Path, und Pharm., 1873 (quoted from Carter).
( 4 ) Virchow's Archiv. 1880, Bd. 79, p. 31.
( 5 ) Cohn's Beiträge zar Biologie der Pflanzen Bd. II, Heft 3; and Wundinfectionskrank-
heiten, 1873.
( 6 ) Sitzung der Schles. Gesellsch. für vaterl. Cultur, 1875.
( 7 ) Seen by Rayer and his pupil Davainein 1851.
( 8 ) Burdon Sanderson, Report of the Medical Officer of the Privy Council, Series II, No. 3.
( 9 ) The Bacilli of Septicaemia in mice and rabbits, and also certain pathogenic micrococci
were fully described by Koch in 1878.
394
APPENDIX TO REPORT OF THE LEPROSY COMMISSION:
the great number of observers who have verified the accuracy of
Hansen's discovery, the work of Neisser, who by the aid of the
Koch-Weigert methods, placed this discovery beyond question, must
be mentioned. 10 Sufficient time has now passed for it to be possible
to confidently affirm that the presence of the Bacillus Lepræ in the
new growths of leprosy is absolutely characteristic of the disease.
Indeed, this bacillus has a specific relationship in the causation of
leprosy. No leper is free from this organism, and in the bodies of
those suffering from other diseases it never occurs. For these
reasons the Bacillus Lepræ has been a subject of much study to
those who have concerned themselves with the disease, and the
most important results which are at present known will be briefly
given.
The Bacillus Lepræ is a rod-like parasite, the length of which is
onehalf to three-quarters the diameter of a human red blood-disc ; 11
in breadth about one-fifth of the length. It is straight, or slightly
bent, with extremities that are pointed or slightly round. The bacil-
lus possesses a protoplasmic content, in which clear spaces may at
times be seen (endogenous spores ?)., surrounded by a delicate mem-
brane. According to De Bary this membrane is only the most com-
pact internal layer of a hull of material which may swell up, take a
gelatinous character, and form an envelope to the bacillus. With
certain reagents, such as iodine solution, the coherent rod may pre-
sent the appearance of a row of minute spheres or cocci (kokkothrix).
Whether these, morphologically, are true sphærobacteria or only a
granular thread is uncertain. This appearance can also be produced
by treatment with strong sulphuric acid, by staining with borax-
methyl-blue and subsequent decolorisation in water or alcohol, and
further by staining with hæmatoxylin or osmic acid. Neisser 12 holds
the view that the Bacillus Lepræ is rod-shaped and possesses a hull,
the innermost layer of which retains such a stain as fuchsin better
than the outer layers, and this obscures the finer structure of the
bacillus. The same observer states that the contents of a bacillus
are (1) highly refracting oval spores; (2) ordinary protoplasm which
scarcely stains at all, or if it does is easily bleached by acids ; (3)
granules. These latter become visible under the influence of the
reagents mentioned above and give rise to the kokkothrix aspect.
(10) Breslauer Aeiztl. Zeitschr. 1879, Nos. 20, 21, and Virchow's Archiv. 1881, Bd. S4,
p.514-
( 11 ) A human red blood disc is 7.8 micro-millimeters (1/1000 mm.).
( 12 ) Neisser, Archiv, f. Dermat, und Soph. 1889. Quoted from Baumgarten's Jahresbe-
richt, 1889,
396 APPENDIX TO REPORT OF THE LEPROSY COMMISSION:
extent behaves similarly, due to the presence of a hull of fatty
material. Leprosy Bacilli may also be differentiated from those of
Tubercle by treatment with potash solution 1 : 12. The bacilli
appear as clear rather thick rods. If a drop of watery methyl-violet
be now added to the specimen, only the Bacillus Lepræ stains, while
the other remains colourless (Baumgarten). However, the Bacillus
Tuberculosis can also be stained with watery aniline dyes 16 and the
Bacillus Lepræ with alkaline methyl-blue. 17 The method with Bor-
fuchsin 18 has not succeeded in our hands ; the Leprosy Bacilli re-
mained stained. The staining behaviour of Bacillus Lepras, according
to Neisser, 19 may be summarised briefly as follows : fuchsin, gentian
and methyl-violet, dahlia, especially in weak acid solution, stain the
bacillus well ; methylene-blue, nigrosin, aurantia, methyl-green and
eosin have no staining effect ; Bismarck brown does not stain whether
in acid or alkaline solution, though Koch has obtained a slight colo-
ration with vesuvin. An eosin-alum-hæmatoxylin solution (Ehrlich)
stains the nuclei of tissues blue, the cell protoplasm rose, and the
bacilli orange. The coloration of the bacilli is always less than
that shown by micrococci, and at times the colour disappears in a
day or so. The methods of Kühne and Unna having reference chiefly
to the manner of disposition of the bacilli within the tissues and
organs of the body, have not been employed by us. Gram's method
stains the bacilli well, and the kokkothrix appearance is admirably
seen.
Though the work of Weigert, Ehrlich, Kühne, Unna and others
has to some extent changed the technology of staining from an
empirical to a scientific basis, much is still required before a definite
staining procedure can be considered as a definite micro-chemical
reaction. At present the differential diagnostic method for the
Bacillus Lepras and Bacillus Tuberculosis given above is generally
recognized as the best means for detection of the Leprosy Bacillus ;
but it may be considered an open question whether this is absolute.
The grouping of the bacilli in clumps in cells of specific shape and
( 16 ) Baumgarten, Path. Mykologie, Vol. II, page 645. Wesener, Centralbl. f. Bac. u.
Parasit, Vol. II, 1887.
( 17 ) Koch, Berlin, klin. Woch. 1882. According to Bordoni-Uffreduzzi a distinction
exists between Bacillus Lepræ and Bacillus Tuberculosis in that only the latter stains with
methyl-blue.
( 18 ) Lübimoff. Abstract of paper in Baumgarten's Jahresbericht, Vol. I, 1888. Stain in
the following solution: Fuchsin 0.5 gramme; Boracic Acid 0.5 gramme; Absolute Alcohol
15.0 cub. cent., water 20 cub. cent.; decolorise in 1 : 5 Sulphuric Acid. The Bacillus Lepræ
decolorizes, but not the Bacillus Tuberculosis.
( 19 ) Virch. Archiv. 1881.
Appendix I.
397
structure 20 is, however, characteristic of the Bacillus Lepræ within
the tissues of the body. This aggregation may be due to the nature
of the hull of the bacillus, for though, according to Lutz and Unna,
the Bacillus Tuberculosis possesses a similar hull, this is rarely
grouped into heaps, and even the arrangement within giant cells
in no way resembles the grouping that is presented by the Bacillus
Lepræ.
Bacilli which have been in alcohol stain better than when seen in
fluid just expressed from a tubercle. A very prolonged treatment
with warm Ziehl's solution will also enable bacilli, other than Bacillus
Lepræ or Bacillus Tuberculosis, to resist the effect of acids. Masses
of micrococci also retain the stain. Spina's statement 21 that putrefac-
tive bacteria treated with 2 per cent. tannin stain like the above
bacilli we did not succeed in confirming.
II.—DISTRIBUTION OF THE LEPROSY BACILLUS WITHIN THE BODY.
In the absence of autopsies this subject could not be dealt with as
fully as might have been wished. From the records of various
observers, it is however by this time well known that the bacillus
of leprosy has been found in most of the tissues and viscera of the
body, though it occurs in some, such as the liver and spleen, far more
frequently than in others, such as the kidney and brain.
Observations on the following fluids, secretions, and excretions
of the body were made as opportunity offered at Almora, Simla,
and Hyderabad.
Fluids.
Blood.
Blister fluid.
Juice from leprous tubercle.
Discharge from leprous ulcer.
Material from thickened nerve.
Secretions.
Saliva.
Vaginal mucus.
Excretions.
Urine.
Faeces.
Sputum.
Menstrual discharge.
(20) With the question whether the bacilli are within cells, or collected into groups lying-
exterior to these, we have not concerned ourselves. The latter view which is held by Unna
and exhibited by his "Trocken Methode " is also that of Kühne. The iodine-pararosaniline-
method also shows the rod-like bacilli to be a coccus series, similar to that figured by Zopf for
Bacillus Tuberculosis (vide Die Spaltpilze).
( 21 ) Quoted by Stricker in Infectionskrankheiten.
398
APPENDIX TO REPORT OF THE LEPROSY COMMISSION:
FLUIDS.
Blood.
Köbner is the only pathologist who claims to have found Leprosy
Bacilli in the blood.
All other observers have failed, even during acute outbreaks of
the disease, and it may fairly be doubted if the bacillus can live in the
blood.
Twenty-three cover-glasses prepared from blood obtained from
six lepers failed in any case to show Leprosy Bacilli. It is worthy of
note that even where the blood was obtained by section of a
tubercle, the results were negative. The following table shows the
results of examination of .blood :—
No.
i
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Name.
Asnarua
Phaganiya .
Jaikishen
Fakira
Puniya
Bishan Singh.
AGE.
M.
25
25
32
35
30
30
30
30
30
F. S
u.
0
In
M
>>
A
M
M
M
T
)>
h oj
Cy •*->
>'ë
'3
13
12
29
lO
22
IO
10
10
Source of Blood.
Tuberculated hand
Anaesthetic skin
of arm.
Vein of anaesthe-
tic hand.
Normal skin of
fore-arm.
Normal skin of
fore-arm.
Normal skin of
fore-arm.
Back of Rnger be-
tween two tuber-
cles.
Incised tubercle of
hand.
Incised tubercle of
wrist.
Date.
25-3-91
25-3-91
25-3-31
30-3-91
30-3-91
30-3-91
7-4-91
7-4-91
13-4-91
> .
O V)
0 <u
O rt
¿*''
"Z
4
2
4
3
2
2
2
2
2
Result of Microscopic
Examination.
ij 2, 3, 4. Small
rods stained blue.
No Leprosy Bacilli.
t. Rods of various
lengths, not taking
fuchsin. 2. Rods,
stained blue.
1, 2, 3, 4. Debris
only.
1, 2. Cocci. 3. Cocci
and short rods.
No Leprosy Bacilli.
1, 2. Blood disc.
No bacilli.
1. A few red cocci.
2. Negative.
1, 2. Debris. No
bacilli.
1, 2. Debris. No
bacilli.
1, 2. No Leprosy
Bacilli.
Appendix I.
399
Blister Fluid.
The observations and experiments made on blister fluid are
fully explained in another part of the report, for it was by the
application of blisters over tubercles that it appeared possible to
separate living Leprosy Bacilli from the tissues, and subsequently
to grow them in blister serum and other media. Little more than an
enumeration of the observations need, therefore, be here given. The
subjoined table shows that blisters on various parts of the body were
raised on five different patients. Fifty-nine cover-glasses were
prepared, and of these, nine specimens from three different patients
showed Leprosy Bacilli in greater or less quantities. It must be
noted that all these positive cases were in fluid obtained from
blisters over actual tubercles. In blisters raised over anaesthetic
patches or normal skin no bacilli were in any case found.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Name.
Puniya
,,
Phaganiya
,,
Fakira
Jaikishen
AGE.
M.
30
30
32
32
30
30
35
F.
...
...
Form
M
»
A
5>
M
>>
M
Years afflicted.
22
22
12
12
10
10
29
Material examined.
Fluid from blister
over tubercle of
cheek.
Fluid from blister
over right super-
ciliary tubercle.
Fluid from blister
over anaesthetic
patch of back.
Fluid from blister
over normal skin.
Fluid from blister
over tubercle of
nose.
Fluid from blister
over non-tubercu-
lated back-
Fluid from blister
over non-tubercu-
lated back.
Date.
27-3-91
27-3-91
28-3-91
22-3-91
31-3-91
31-3-91
31-3-91
No. of cover glasses.
4
3
2
2
2
2
2
Result of Microscopic
Examination.
1. Swarms of bacilli
of various lengths;
some very long ;
some in
nests ;
deeply stained with
fuchsin. 2, 3, 4.
A few red bacilli.
1. Weigert's threads
stained red. No ba-
cilli seen. 2, 3. A
few red bacilli.
1. Nothing beyond
a few pieces of
shreddy material.
2. A few red ba-
cilli.
1. No bacilli.
2.
A few red bacilli.
1. Quantities of Le-
prosy Bacilli. 2. A
few red bacilli.
1. Numerou leuco-
cytes. No bacilli.
2. A few red ba-
cilli.
1. Debris. No ba-
cilli. 2. A few
red bacilli.
4-CO
APPENDIX TO REPORT OF THE LEPROSY COMMISSION:
No.
S
9
IO
ii
12
I6
»7
IS
»O
Name.
Jaikishen
Puniya
>> •
•
Jaikishen
Fakira .
Bhaguli
Fakira .
Bishan Singh.
»
•
»
•
AGE.
M.
35
35
30
30
35
35
30
30
30
30
30
F.
S
1
M
"
"
M
T
))
5)
-O
HI
"u
Ü
S
CD
>
29
29
22
22
29
29
IO
IO
IO
IO
IO
Material examined.
Fluid from blister
of back.
Fluid from blister
of back.
Fluid from blister
on tuberculated
ear.
Fluid from blister
on tuberculated
ear.
Fluid from blister
of back.
Fluid from blister
over tuberculated
ear.
Fluid from blister
over tuberculated
nose.
Fluid from blister
over anaesthetic
patches on back.
Fluid from blister
over tubercle of
face.
Fluid from blister
over tubercle of
nose.
Fluid from blister
over tubercle of
wrist.
Fluid from blister
over tubercle, of
cheek.
Date.
1-4-91
1-4-91
1-4-91
1-4-91
1-4-91
3-4-91
4-4-91
4-4-91
6-4-91
7-4-91
8-4-01
S-4-91
No. of cover-
glasses.
|(
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
I
2
4
2
Kesult of Microscopic
Examination.
1. Large bacteria.
No
bacilli.
2.
Debris. No bacilli.
3. A few red ba-
cilli.
1. Chain of short
thick bacilli. No
Leprosy Bacilli. 2.
Bacilli and cocci.
No Leprosy Bacilli.
1. Debris. No ba-
cilli.
2.
Bacilli
and cocci. No Le-
prosy Bacilli.
1. Few other ba-
cilli. No Leprosy
Bacilli. 2. Bacilli
and cocci. No Lep-
rosy Bacilli.
1. Few bacilli stain-
ed blue. No Lep-
rosy Bacilli.
2.
Chain or bacilli
stained blue. No
Leprosy Bacilli.
1. Few suspicious
bacilli taking pink
stain. 2. Leuco-
cytes. No bacilli.
1. Few Leprosy Ba-
cilli, also a number
of unstained bacilli.
2. Debris. No ba-
cilli.
1. Numerous leuco-
cytes. No bacilli.
2. Debris. No ba-
cilli.
1. Numerous
un-
stained bacilli- No
Leprosy Bacilli.
1. Few Leprosy Ba-
cilli. 2. Debris.
No bacilli.
1. Few micrococci
and bacilli stained
blue. 2, 3, 4. De-
bris. No bacilli.
1. Few micrococci
and bacilli stained
blue. 2. Debris.
No bacilli.
Appendix I.
401
No.
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
Name.
Bishan Singh
Puniya.
,,
Fakira .
,,
Puniya
Bishan Singh
»
•
AGE.
M.
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
F.
Form.
T
»
M
,,
>>
»
5)
T
Years afflicted.
10
10
22
22
10
10
22
22
10
10
Material examined.
Fluid from blister
over tubercle of
forehead.
Fluid from blister
over tubercle of
cheek.
Fluid from blister
over tubercle of
forehead.
Fluid from blister
on non-tubercu-
lated back.
Fluid from blister
over tubercle of
lip.
Fluid from blister
over
healthy
back.
Fluid from blister
over tubercle of
forehead.
Fluid from blister
over
healthy
back.
Fluid from blister
over tubercle of
face.
Fluid from blister
over
healthy
back.
Date.
11-4-91
11-4-91
11-4-91
11-4-91
14-4-91
14-4-9:
14-4-91
14-4-91
14-4-91
14-4-91
No. of cover glasses.
2
2
2
2
2
I
2
I
I
I
Result of Microscopic
Examination.
1. Leucocytes. No
bacilli. 2, Debris.
No bacilli.
1. Leucocytes. No
bacilli. 2. Debris.
No bacilli.
1. Leprosy Bacilli
and leucocytes. 2.
No Leprosy Ba-
cilli.
1. Quantities of leu-
cocytes. No ba-
cilli. 2. No Lep-
rosy Bacilli.
1. Pus cells
and
bacteria.
2. De-
bris. No bacilli.
1. No bacilli.
1. No Leprosy Ba-
cilli. 2. Debris.
No bacilli.
1. Leucocytes. No
bacilli.
1. Debris. No ba-
cilli.
1. Leucocytes. No
Leprosy Bacilli,
Juice from leprous tubercle.
It may safely be affirmed that Leprosy Bacilli are always found in
cutaneous and other tubercles at some period or other of their exist-
ence. The failure to find them is due either to error of preparation
or observation, to the fact that no bacilli have happened to be express-
ed on to the cover-glass, or to the fact that the tubercle is old and
degenerating, and the bacilli are consequently dead. That it is not
always easy to obtain bacilli from leprous tubercles, is shown by the
observations recorded above that no bacilli were found in blood from
tuberculated tissue. Evidently more than simple section of the tu.
bercle is usually required to extract the bacilli. Compression- must
2 D
402
APPENDIX TO REPORT OF THE LEPROSY COMMISSION :
also be employed as recommended by Manson, or the blister method
detailed above. So well known is the association of bacilli with
leprous tubercles, that it was hardly considered necessary to make
observations on this point. Such as were made were for the purpose
of controlling other work, such as blister or inoculation experiments.
The results are given in the next table, and it will be seen that only
three observations absolutely failed to show them, while in another
they were doubtful.
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
S
9
Name.
Puniya
,,
,,
Fakira .
.
Bishan Singh
,,
>t
»
•
>»
>» •
Rahim Khan
AGE.
M.
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
35
35
F.
...
...
Form.
M
,,
T
T
,,
Years afflicted.
22
22
22
10
10
10
10
21/2
Source of Juice.
Tubercle of ear .
»
>> •
»
»
•
,, ,, .
„
of wrist
„
of finger
„
of wrist
„
of face.
,,
of ear .
Date.
25-3-91
31-3-91
14-4-91
14-4-91
14-4.91
15-4-91
15-4-91
29-6-91
12-7-91
No. of cover glasses.
4
2
I
I
I
I
I
I
2
Result of Microscopic
Examination.
1, 2, 3. Quantities
of Leprosy Bacilli
free and in cells.
4. Negative.
1. 2. Quantities of
Leprosy Bacilli.
1. Clusters of Le-
prosy Bacilli.
1. Doubtful bacilli
taking fuchsin.
1. Debris. No ba-
cilli.
1. Swarms of Le-
prosy Bacilli.
1. Cocci
stained
blue. No bacilli.
1. Few Leprosy Ba-
cilli.
1. Clusters of Le-
prosy Bacilli.
Discharge from leprous ulcers.
In the discharge from tuberculated ulcers Leprosy Bacilli, both
free and in cells, are more beautifully brought out by staining than
perhaps in any other fluid or tissue. Whether it is that the bacilli in
Appendix I.
403
this discharge have been so macerated as to be divested of their
mucin-like hull is a question, but the fact remains. In the discharge
from anaesthetic ulcers, on the other hand, they could not be found.
At Almora an experiment was made in which a leper washed his
tuberculated and ulcerated feet in a basin of water. Examination of
cover-glass preparations from this water showed Leprosy Bacilli in
every specimen. The experiment was repeated at Simla with like
results, but plate cultivations from this water failed to produce any
colonies of Leprosy Bacilli. It is possible to argue from these expe-
riments that though the bacilli are thrown off in great numbers from
tuberculated ulcers, they are not living. It must, however, be remem-
bered that discharges from open ulcers are so full of microbes of
every description, that the Leprosy Bacillus, which does not grow
rapidly or very vigorously, might easily be over powered in the strug-
gle for existence with other organisms. An account of the different
discharges examined is given in the next table :—
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
Name.
Phaganiya
Fakira .
Bishan Singh
Fakira
Rahim Khan
AGE.
M.
32
30
30
30
30
35
F.
...
• •••
Form.
A
M
,,
T
M
T
Years afflicted.
12
10
10
10
10
Source of Dis-
charge.
Ulcer on anaesthe-
tic hand.
Tuberculated ul-
cer on dorsum of
foot.
Tuberculated ulcer
on side of sole.
Water in which tu-
berculated ulcers
of feet had been
washed.
Water in which tu-
berculated ulcers
of feet had been
washed.
Water in which tu-
berculated ulcers
of feet had been
washed.
Date.
25-3-91
3-4-91
3-4-91
13-4-91
13-4-91
10-6-91
No. of cover glasses.
2
2
2
4
4
4
Result of Microscopic
Examination.
1. Doubtful bacilli,
probably not patho-
genic. 2. Debris
only.
1, 2. Quantities of
Leprosy
Bacilli
singly
and in
groups.
1, 2. Quantities of
Leprosy Bacilli, but
not so numerous as
in last specimen.
1, 2, 3, 4. Epithelial
squamous nucleated
cells, dirt, and Le-
prosy Bacilli. [In
many cases the ba-
cilli were in distinct
clumps, i. e., the
cells were loaded
with them.]
1, 2, 3, 4, Leprosy
Bacilli as in last four
specimens.
1, 2, 3. Leprosy Ba-
cilli. 4. Negative.
2.D 2