, 1893-10-07

extensive, upwards of fifty different articles
being specially studied in this respect, in
Guiding numerous kinds of fruit. several
vegetables, besides milk, tea, coffee and cocoa,
also particular descriptions Of beer and wine.
whilst amongst the miscellaneous materials
examined may be mentioned caviar, biscuits,
h~0nbous, tobacco, and snuff
IL the majority Of cases the bacilli were
not only rubbed ON to the surface of the
various fruits aud vegetables, but were also
lnoculated on to slices, $50 that the effect OH
the ~ibaclllls Of tile composition of q ~larticu~
lar fruit or vegetable could be ascertained.
When simply exposed on the exterior of a
given material. the vitality of the bacilIu4
depends chiefly on the degree If moisture
which is present III It's environment. this
organism being specially charac' erlsed bY IN
rapid destruction ii 3fy surroundings. but
when brought IN contact With the tic g it II
the proportion Of f uit acid ani sa4t; present
which prim oily determine its behaviour. The
cholera baciilj are very sens}tiNe to Il, id, ard
hence their destruction On most slices OF fruit
in from one to SIX hours.
Thus when inoeuIeS led on to slices o.
bright red. very juicy ana sour cherries. tho
bacilll we've aunihilated III three hours.
whilst when simply rubbed on the surface
ard kept III q moist atmosphere they were
still alive at the end Of five days. On the
o'her hand, when thus treated ami exposed to
The ordinary air OF q room, the baoilii could
not be fotn0 after twenty four hours. whilst
VIXEN placed in the direct sunshine their
vitality was limited 10 one hur and q
half.
But even on @slices If fruit containing q
much smaller amount Of acid, such rs pears.
the vitality Of the cholera organism was not
much prolonged. and the reason for this
must be sought III the fact that, when grown
III solutions containing sugar, this organism
p~rolnoes acid. and the geld thus produced
impedes its further development and destroys
its vitality.
On vegetables such as ~oucunlbers. cauL
flowers. cabbages, the cholera baclllus main
talas its exi4te nee for several days thus on
spinach leaves preserved in a tmpatmosphere,
tec hacilli We're still present after twelve
days; aud even when exposed 10 the ordinary
air of a room they did not disappear until
after six days.
As regards the behaviour Of the Cholera
organisms in tea ii is interesting To note that
in a 8 per cent Infusion Of black Chinese tea
they are destroyed within twentytour hours
whilst in 4 per cent. Infusion no trace Of
them would be found at the end of sixty
minutes.
FrleuFlGn mas CoHnflneU the results al
other Investigators on the bactcricidal pro.
peytics of coffee, finding two hours INNER
sion III a 6 per cent infusion of this material
sufficient for the destruction OF these organ,
lsmS.
In various kinds Of beer, Munich, Pilsener,
and Lager, they could not survive more than
from one to three hours, but still more rapid
was their extinction in white and red wine,
for FIVE inmates eftc~ their Introduction thew
could no longer be found in the former.
whilst in the latter their vitality did not ex-
coed twenty minutes.
From the nnmerous Investigations recorded
it is obvious that during any epidemic of
cholera the consumption Of unoooked fruit
ana vegetables should be avoided, or that at
ATTY rate precautions should be taken TO
ensure thei rsterilityiby careful cleansi1gor by
the removal Of the rid or skin whore pos
sjble.
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