The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-08-27
YELLOW JACK
And It's Authentic Microbe Proeen,tor


From the NeU York Medical Record
DR.. Paul Gibier, who was deputed by the
French government to investigate the whole
question of yellow fever has just delivered
q lecture before the Academy of Science in
Havana. embodying the results at which
he has at present arrived. Before leaving
Paris he felt so convinced of the truth OF
DR.. Freire's views that he got himself inoc-
ulated with some of the cultures
which THAT distinguished Brazilian physi-
clan had brought. The first inser-
tion-mada with lancet with great
care-was followed by no result whatever.
A week later some of the at5enuated virus
was injected simultaneously, and this pro-
duced such violent effects that Dr. Giber
declares nothing in the world would induce
him to submit TO repetition of it. Since
his arrival in Cuba he has made post
morten examinations Of q number of per-
sons who have died of yellow foyer. some
of the examinations taking place only two
hours after death, and one of them within
fifteen minutes from the moment life be-
came extinct. The examination of the
blood taken from the heart in these cases.
as we'll as the inspection of the urine. the
bile, the pericardial fluid, tho liver, the
spleen, and the mssenteric glands, con-
WINGED him that none of these organs con-
in the black matt,r always found III the in
testines bacillus presenting many points
OF resemblance to the So-called comma
bacilli of cholera, being sometimes curved
and occurring in some cultures in q spiral
form, possessing also the property of iidue-
flying gelatine. This bacillus, whom Guilt
vatei in peptonizsd broth, blacke,led the
sides of tho tubes; and when few drops of
the culture were injected into the intestine
of guinea pigs it sometimes proved fatal
the intestinal contents tnen showing
great resemblance to those found
in yellow fever patients In dogs the
injection of few drops into the
small intestine rapidly produced violent
eifects-vomitirg, diarrhoea, and the night
following, pyrexia. Cultures of this baciI-
lus had a smell resembling that of tho black
vomit A moist heat OF co. c., DESTROYED
the bacillus in few minutes; desiccation
al % proved fatal to it in less than twenty
four hours This last observation led DR..
GiDer to suggest that If this bacillus was
really the cause Of yellow fever, the i'm
munlty of inland districts might thus he
explained, tho comparative d:'yness OF the
air destroying the virus. 1t developed
extremely well in sea water charged with
organic matter; living, too, for long time
side 10y side with the ordinary microbes of
putrefaction, SO long at least as the
medium did not become acid, for
oven a very slight degree of acidity
destroyed the organism in a few hours. In
confirmation of observations made at tho
laboratory, DR.. Glider mentions that he has
several times had an opportunity OF demon
strating the same circumstance in the dead
house, the contents of the intestines, when
they have become acid some hours after
death, ceasing to show tue presence of
the bacillus. Since writing on this subject
previously DIR. Gibier has had opportuni-
ties Of examining tho bodies OF foreign
sailors who have died in the civil hospital
OF Havana, and he has been able to demon
strate the presence Of the bacillus In those
who had suffered from yellow fever, and its
absence in those who had died from other
diseases. His opinion is that yellow fever Is
due TO the development Of the nilcrobe in
the intestines, the affection being therefors
essentially local one.