The times., 1899-08-19
THE YELLOW FEVER GERM.
Experts Report the Discovery of tho
Scourgess Organism

fever at the National Soldiers Home at
Hampton. and OF the interest aroused in
the nature and cure Of the scoGTge. Secre-
tary Gage has issued in separate form an
abstract of the report OF the Commission
Of medical officers OF the Marine Hospital
Service appointed by the President to in
vestigate the cause OF the fever and the
etiOlogy OF the disease The Commission
consisted OF Surgeon wasdfn ard Surgeon
Geddings. two experts. who were detailed
on November s. 1887.
The report Is Very interesting and con-
tains much valuable information. II en-
bodies the work OF the Commission IN
fairly testing the claim OF Prof. Savareiii.
OF Bologna, Italy, that the bacillus ieter-
oides is the cause OF yellow fever. and the
conclusion is drawn that this famous SCI
enlist has Isolated the true cause of the
seourge- The conclusion Is based upon a
careful archaeological study in a well
equipped laboratory in Havana. OF twenty
two cases of disease thonght to be yellow
fever by the native physicians in attend
anee.
OF the fourteen cases diagnosed as yellow
fever. the Commission isolated the organ
ism OF Sanarelii, the bacillus ictsrcidss,
from thirteen, and in the case In which this
organism escaped the observation OF the
Commission il was isolated by an indapen-
dent observer for whom tube cultures had
been taken at neeropSy conducted BY the
Commission Thus the even percentage OF
isoiations has been obtained in these four
teen cases. all OF which presented promi-
nent symptoms Of the disease In the cases
not thus diagnosed the organism OF Sanar-
ELI was not obtained
From the living blood in twelve Of the
fourteen cases, distracted not earlier than
the third day OF the disease the organism
was isolated and in the two others Il was
obtained poSt-mortem. The Commission
having preserved number Of cultures made
at the Isolation hospital in the city OF New
Orleans from eases seen during the cpl
demic OF 1897. also isolated therefrom the
bacillus icteroides in the proportion OF
1888 per cent or the cases examined, the
cultures having been made at necrupsy
Thus the identity Of the bacillus icteroides
OF our Southern States. with that found in
Cuba, and that sent the Commission by
Prof. Sanarelli, which was obtained in
South America, was established.
The Commission also examined thirty
one unknown dead bodies found In Cuba
and in al! eases wherein the death had been
caused by disease other that yellow fever
none of Sanarelli's organisms were diseov-
cred Many experiments were made with
ly discovered germ was studied II was
found that when animals were placed IN
der natural conditions of infection the test
proved conclusively the natural specific
ity of the organism of Santarelli
The theory formulated and expressed by
Surgeon General Sternberg. that the ger
ninal principle in yellow fever was TO be
looked for in the alimentary tract. an
opinion evidently dependent upon the we'll
known influence of the disease upon the
organs adjacent and contributive TO this
tract and portions of the tract ITSELF as
the duodenum, has been found untenahis
by the Commission since there-is no rec1rd
of anyone ever having isolated the specific
germ from the canal save in the case OF its
presence there through some capillary
hemorrhage into its lumen-
The influence OF the various disinfect-
ing agents upon the bacillus icfeiosd.s has
been studied by the Conn ssion with an
eye 10 the practical advantages TO be de-
rived from a better acquaintance with the
organism, and it is found that the organ
ism is readily influenced by the mechanical
and chemical agents in ordinary use Cold,
is not a factor in this p.ocess,
for the organism resists the most extensive
refrigeration. and no reliance can be placed
on this mode OF disinfection. On the other
hand, the organism is very susceptible to
dehydration. and cannot withstand arti-
fetal drying fer more than ten to twe-vs
days, and it is very probable that its sus-
ceptibility 70 frost is due TO the lessened
humidity of the atmosphere al such sea-
sons rather than TO the degree Of cold ex-
perienced. Sunlight is very fatal to this
organism, and no doubt is more so II ths
has lost its vitality through
evaporation of its fluids, as in "a frosty at
mosphere-
The conclusions of tho Commission are
as follows and are regarded as being of
great Importance by the medical world,
and may result in the production of an
which will prove a-potent cure
for. and preventive of. the disease
First-That the micro-orgarism discOv-
cred by Prof Giuseppe Sanarelli, OF the
University of Bologna, Italy. and by him
named bacillus IcteFoides," is the cause OF
yellow fever.
Second-That yellow fever is naturally
infectious to certain animals. the degree
varying with the species, that in some ro-
dents local infection is very quickly fol-
lowed by blood Infection: and that, while
in dogs and rabbits there is no evidence
OF this subsequent invasion OF the blood,
react to the infection the same
as man.
Third-That infection takes place by way
of the respiratory tract the primary col
onization in this tract giving rise 10 thT
earlier manifestations of the disease.
Fourth-That in many cases of the L.
ease probably a majority. the primary IN
lection or colonization in the lungs is f4-
lowed by a secondary infection" or
secondary colonization Of this organism in
the blood of the patient This secondary
infection may be complicated by the CO.
instantaneous passage Of other organisms
into the blood or this complication may
arise during the last hours of life.
Fifth-That there is no evidence to sup
port the theory advanced by Prof. Sanst
reIli that this disease is primarily septt-
caemia inasmuch as cases do occur IN
found in the blood or organs in which it
might be deposited therefrom-
Sixth-That there exists no eauSal rela-
tionship between the bacillus tX' Of Stern
berg and this highly infectious disease.
and that the bacillus '-X" is frequently
found in the intestinal content Of normal
animals and of man. as wen as in the
urine and the bronchial secretion.
Seventh-That so far as your Commits
sion is aware. the bacillus icteroides has
never been found in any body other than
one infected with vellcv- fs~ar s-s 49,
may be the cultural similarities
between this and other mseroorsA1a.allla -
is characterized b. specifieity which is
distinctive.
Eighth-That the bacillus icteroides is
very susceptible TO the influences injurious
to bacterial life; and that its ready control
by the processes of disinfection. chemical
and mechanical, is assured
Ninth-That the bacillus ieterOides pro-
duees in Yitro, as well as in vita toxin
of the most marked potency; and that
from our present knowledge there exists
a reasonable possibility OF the ultimate
production Of antiserum more potent
han hat Of prof