New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-08-28
THE ETY0LOGK or CHOLEEA.
RESULTS OF DIR. KoCHs RESEARCHES.

HIS STATEMENTS AND INFERENCEs BEFORE TIN
GERMAN IMPERIAL BOARD or HEALrH-A
WARNING VOICE.
PHILADELPHIA, Aug. PA conference upon
cholera has Just been held In Berlin at the Office of the
Imperial Board Of Health. abstract II " lea l. now
appearing The Hede NeIrs ot this ci y. Or. Koch
exhibited mscroscOpcll specimens OF the cholera baci
JUS and d.monstra ed method Of its preparation and
cultivation. He stated that recent mcrosC al exam
nation 0t the int sne and it, contents reye led con-
sid .rable invasion Of ba terra curing iy within
the tubular glands, partly between the cpl heIum ani
basement menb ane. and in some parts deeper still
Then h. found in which besides bacteria u one
definite and cons ant FORM there were Others also
muated within and around the tubui gland, o. various
size, some sh Mt and thick, Others very fine; and
he soon concluded that he had TO do here with
primary invasion of pathogenic bacll.. which, as It
were prepared the issues FOR the entra OF the nom
pitho enc forms JUS a he had observed III the necrouc,
dlphheluc changes IN th intestinal muc1sa and IN "
phoid ulcer4
SIZE AND SHAPE OF THE BACrERUM
This bacferium smaller than the tuJerce bacillus
being only about half at most two birds the size Il
the latter but much more plump thicker and Lightly
curved. rule the curve l. no more than that ~
co una but sometime, 70 assumes a semc. shape
Or Koch had it forming dluDle curve Ike m :;
these two variations from tha rmd bel X suggestive
Of the Junction OF Individual bacilt In cultures
ther always appears remarkably free development OK
form long thread not n the manner Of anthrax bacl,
nor with simple ulduiatng form. bit a-,um ng he
shape Of dehca o. long spr,i-, corAscreV
share rem nding on very forcbY Of the sJr0chaote
Of reiapdngf yer. Indeed 90 wOId bee diilcut 10 du
ungush the If pla el side by de. on "ccouut OF
t.is devclormontal change, br Koch do 'bted " the
cholera organism should De ranked " tn bi ilU; II s
rather u.oual 70 m between -he bailu. and tbs
spirlum portions OF which appear IA ne comma shape,
much IA "a Other spirl T., spIrila uudlla. which 90
not "A, WAYS form complete spirts but CONSIST Ouy Of
more Or le.c ours ed r ds.
TIE INFLUENCE OF rrMPERArvRg.
Tho couma-bici IA thrive best at temp natures 90
tween 81 Fahrelne and Oi Fa reuhctbui tcy ure noe
very sensitive GLOW temperatures their grovt not beng
prevented uuu 62ig or 81 Il, grccs Ia reached In ths
respect hey agree With an hrlX oll Dr Koch mado
nn experiment t0 ascertain whether a very low TIM
pcrature not merely checked development but klrd
them, aud subjected comma b cl.a To temperature 81
Ii degrees Fahrenheit Ihcy wcro then completely
frozen hut yet re- Aimed their Vitality, growing IN gelp
tine AFT ,rwlrl DR. Koch foun tlat the addoI Of ~
aaue n. solution OF iodine in 1000 to meat infusion 10
the proportonof In 10 did not the east interfere with
the growth OF The bacih IN that medium. H. did not
pursue line OF inquiry, seug that IN practice Larger
quantities OF Dd than tnat cOuli not be gwen Al o.
hol nrst checks The Development OF the comma-bac.
when IL IL mixed with the nutrient nud in the proportion
OF in TO- degree OF concen ration which renders u m-
practicable for treatment Common salt was added 10
the ex per without influencing the growth
OF the b4cll sulphate OF iron the proportion OF
per cent this growth, probably by preepitatns
albuminates from fluids aud possibly asp by ia AID
reaction; cer ainy II does not TO have any spchc
disinf.ettng acton-i e. destroying the baciL Among
other substances which prevent the growth o the COM
ma-baci may b, mentioned alum, IN solutions of tho
strength In 100; camphor IN 300 carbOlc acid In
400; oil OF peppermint In 1000; su phate.Ot coppr
in $500; "a remedy much employed, but how
much would really be needed merely 10 hinder
the growth OF the bacilh the ntestine); qIihiae
in 700, and suoIma e l in 100 900.
BAClLI KILLED BY DRYING.
In contrast with the foregoin. tor prevent
ing the growth OF the bacin Is the striking fact tat
they readily killed by drying. This fact l. proved ~
merely dying small drop OF material containing tAs
baci convex glass, and then placing this over sone
Of tue fluid on glass slide Thus it was found tbaG al
though vi ality was retained, depending Largely upon
the number o. bacn for short time yet withdrawal Of
the nutrient auii fr an less otten saicei;
and IL never happen that the blc retained vitality
after dep walton lasting twentyt Cr hour. Tns.e ro
suts would seem to point tue fact that the commb
bacillus does not, ike the organisms OF
thr4x and yaccnia, pass into tie rest
ing s,a,e by drying, and, n so, Il is out Of
the most important IA Is in the euoloZy Of cholera
Much, however remains TO be done especially with re-
gard to keeping the soed linen of cholera patients Ia
damp state Dr. Koch found that soied articles when
dried for time, varying from twenty-cur hours and
upw Ard. the commabaeiw quite desroJed Nor Sas