The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-23

or well filled. There is no doubt about
the existence of this cell and neither thin
sections nor high powers will alter its
appearance. While there is no doubt
then that the bacilli of leprosy grow in
groups or clusters of from as few as
three or four to many as forty, fifty
or even seventy-five individuals vet they
are also found in the tissues in almost
every other condition and shape which
bacilli usually assume. The slides exam
ined do not show that the leprosy bacill
are more given to growth in clusters or
groups than to isolated or individual
growth throughout the tissues. Where
the cluster growth is prominent the ba-
GILL are the most abundant; this Is the
only difference thus far observed. Trims
claim that the individual growth is the
result of section cutting, in which the
bacilli are scattered by the knife which
breaks the so-called 'leprae cells" L
have entirely and conclusively disposed
OF by using a ten-micron section This
method gives the observer view of two
interior optical sections, secured by To-
cusing, which have been undisturbed by
the knife, and hence show both the indi-
yidual and cluster growths in stu
The beaded or so-called spore forna-
ton which Is demonstrated by staining
has been found in all the slides of the
present series. An effort will be made
as soon as possible to demonstrate, by
aid of double staining whether or not
the leprosy bacilli belongs to the spore-
forming class. There is one particular in
which these bacilli differ from those fig
ured in meteorological works where the
spores are represented as occurring at
regular intervals, each bacillus containing
from three to five. The bacilli examined
show much greater irregularity In the
arrangement of the spores, If such they
prove to be- with greater variance in the
number per bacillus.
1t has been repeatedly stated and pub
lished that there is close resemblance be-
tween the tubercle and leprosy bacillus,
and that it is impossible under the micro
scope to detect any difference In size
such statements are absurd, If left I'M
modified, and simply proclaim the bung-
Ter. There are some few points of re-
semblance, but these are never character
lstlc as far as my observation goes In
the slides examined there is found as
much evidence against similarity as ia
vorable thereto. Certain stages Of de-
velopment may bring out these similar
points, but when the characteristics of
leprosy bacilli as whole are compared
with the tubercle bacillus the former will
be found to differ variously and typicaily
from the latter. However, IL Is but pr,I-
dent to say that until the leprosy bacil-
lus is successfully cultivated by artificial
means. it Will be difficult 10 determine
GILL are similar, or how widely they
really differ.
| wish to point out before ! conclude
that in the same slide / have often found
two, three or even four different stages
of growth development including "a the
supposed spore forming stage; ~ the pc
culiar large cell growth with the spores
well defined; CD the growth of erratic
and irregular forms; and "a the Iuxuri-
ant or intermediate stage, which I be-
Ieve to be typical, showing the bacilli,
with a general tendency to and develop
ment into the vibrio, sinuous and true
spiral forms. At this point my investi-
cation leads me to the probability pointed
out by Abbott in writing of the comma
bacillus, viz, that the leprosy bacillus
cannot be properly so considered but
should be viewed "as an intermediate
type between the bacili and the spiril-
Ia"
In conclusion l wish to say that the
thus far noted are the
result of patient still living; hence the
variations pointed out are in no way due
TO artificial methods of cultivation, and
believe can be relied upon in the main.