Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-09-02
ETlOLOGY OF CHOLERA.
Result Of Dr.. Kooh's Researches-His
Statements and differences
Before the German Imperial Board Of
Health-A Warning Voice.

held in Berlin at the Office OF the Inn
perial board Of health, an abstract OF
which is now appearing ia the Medical
News OF this city, DIR Koch exhibited
nliscroscopical specimens of the chol-
era bacillus, aud demonstrated the
method Of its preparation and cultivs-
sion. lie stated that recent micro.
scopical examination of the intestine
and It's contents revealed n
considerable invasion OF bac-
terra, occurring partly within
the tubular GLANDS, partly between the
epithelium and basement membrane.
and in some parts deeper still. Then
he found cases I'm which, besides
bacterln Of one definite and constant
form, there Were others also accu.
INFLATED within and around the tubu-
lar glands Of various size, some short
and thlcs, Others very fine; and he
soon concluded that he had TO do here
with a primary invasion of pathogenic
bacilli, which, as IL were, prepared
the tissues fer the entrance of the non.
pathogenic forms, Just rs he had OBJ
served In the nscrotic, dlphtheritc 1
changes in the Intestinal mucosa and |
in typhoid ulcers.
SIZE AND SHAPE or THE BACrREIUNt.
This bacterlum IL smaller than the |
tubercle bacillus, being only about |
half, or, az most, two-thirds the size OF
the latter, hut much more plump,
thicker and slightly curved. As a rule
the curve is no more chan that of q
comma. but sometimes IL assumes n
semi-circular shape. Dr. Koch has
seen IL forming a double curve like AN
:; these Two variations from the nor
nal being suggestive of III, junction
/ of two individual bacilli. In cultures
, there always appears remarkably
/ free development of comma-shaped ba
| cilli. These bacillt oiten grow
! out TO form long threads,
not in the manner of anthrax bacilli,
nor with simple uudulating form,
but ASST ming the shape OF delicate,
long spirals, a corkscrew shape, re.
Winding one very forcibly of the
spirochpte OF relapsiug fever. Indeed,
Ii would be difficult TO distinguish the
two IL placed side by side. On account
OF this developmental change, DR..
Koch doubted If the cholera organism
should be ranked with ba"illi; II is
rather transitional form between the
bacillus and the spirillum, portions of
which appear in the comma shape,
I lAhAlA IL III bAiAtA TlfAAAAAht C. 81 FNAAhAAh
undula, which do not always form
complete spirals, but consist only OF
more or less curved rods.
lTHE INFLUENCE OF TEMPERATURE
The comma bacllla thrive best al
temperatures between 81 Fahrenheit
and l04 Fahrenheit, but they are MOI
very sensitive to low temperatures
their growth not being prevented IN
I'll 81 or SO Is reached. In this respect
they agree with anthrax hacilli. DR.
Koch made an experiment 10 ascertain
whether very low temperature no
merely checked development, bu
BILLED them, and subjected comma-ba
ella TO a temperature OF II degree
Fahrenhtit. They were then com
pletely frozen, but yet retained thei
vitality, growing In gelatlne afterward
DR.. Koch found that the addition
of an aqueous solution o
iodine / in 1000 TO meat infusion II
the proportion OF one in ten did not IN
the least interfere with the growth o
the barili in that medium. He die
not pursue this line of inquiry, seeing
that in practice larger quantities o
} iodine than that could not be given
Alcohol first checks the development
of the comma-bacilli, when il Is miNe'
with the nutrient fluid In the proper
ton of one In ten, "a degree of cOncen
tration which renders IL impTacticRbl
for treatment. Common salt WA
added 10 the extent of two per cent
without influencing the growth of Tn
bacilli. Sulphate of iron in the pro
portion OF two per cent. checks thi
growth, probably by precipitatinl
albuminates from the fluids, and pos
sibly also by its acid reaction; cei
tainly il does not seem to have an.
speciiic dIsinfecting action e., u
destroying the bacilli. Among othc
substances which prevent the growt
of the comma-bacilli may be men
: toned alum, in solutions Of tn
. strength In 100; camphor, ! IN bon
carbOlic acid, ! Ia 400; oil OF pepper
mint, ] in 1000; sulphate Of copper,
In 900; "a remedy much employed
: but how much would really be needle
! merely 10 hinder the growth of ia
bacilli in the intestine); quinine, b
5000, and suhlimate, in 100000.
. BAClJ.LI KILLED BY DRYING.
In contrast with the foregoing
measures for preventing the growth o
: the baci!li Is the striking fact That the
!: are readily killed by drying. III
| TACT IS proven ~ uiSiclg Nig hb
small drop of material containing III
haciili on a convex glass, and the
: ulucing this over some Of the iiuid o
a glass slide. Thus IL was found tina
! although vitality was retained, d'
: pending largely upon the number
! bacilli for short time, yet withdraw
: Of the nutrient laid FOR AN hour
: less often sufliced; aud II never hal
: pened that the bacilli r
: talned vitality after depIivatio
: lasting tWenty-four hours. These =
2 suits would seem 10 point to the fac
that the comma-bacillus does not, iil'
the organisms Of anthrax and vaccinl
pass into the resting state by dfylni
and. If so, Il IA ont Of the most impor
ant facts IN the etiology of cho.cr
Much, however, remains 10 be don
especially with regard to keeping Il
soiled linen Of cholera patients IN
damn state. DR.. Koch found TINT
soiled articles when dried for tim
VARYING from twenty'iour hou
> and upward, the comma'bacil
we.e quite destroyed. Nor VI
the destruction delayed by piacin
OF choleraic eXcreta in or upon earth ,dI
or moist, or mixed with stagnai
water. In gelRtins cultures the eos
, ma.bacilli can be cultivated for D
, weeks. and also i'm bloOd-sernmy NIL
and potato. whore anthrs-baeiilt ia
idly form spores. But resting sta
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