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

breadth of the leprosy bacillus.
The following is brief summary: Two
hundred measurements made from lux
uriant and typical slides taken from the
lobe of the ear show that the bacilli vary
in length from one micron TO an occa-
sional extreme of from fourteen to sew
enteen microns. | am at present unable
to give an average including the eX-
tremes, which must await a larger num-
Der of measurements. Leaving out the
extremes an average length was reached,
after repeated trials, which may be for
the present placed at 4.37 microns. But
at this point it must not be forgotten
that the extreme or erratic forms occur
SO frequently as to become disturbing
factor, which must hereafter be account
ed for in some way to be devised. This
average of 437 microns is taken from a
series Of bacilli measuring from 1.3 mi
crons TO To microns. The width of the
same bacilli, taken at the same time,
ranges from 0.26 micron to 0.S4 micron,
which gives average breadth of 0.3 mi
cron. / can say definitely and positively
that the average for breadth holds the
same, or with very little variation, no
matter what number of measurements
are taken. Many very loose statements
have been published on this point.
The measurements given by Crook
shank, who follows Hansen and Neisser,
are from five to six microns in length
and one micron wide. Reeves following
Gould and others, gives the length at
from four to six microns, and makes the
statement that the width is less than one
mcron. which is about as definite as
that famous Western expression, las big
as lump of chalk" Sternberg merely
quotes Flugge, four to six microns for
length concluding from what Flugge
says OF the width, that it is probably
considerably less than one micron. 1t
that like Stern
berg should make q guess in science
where he could easily have made new
measurements. In the latest work on
lcprosy by Thin of London, Leloir's meas
urements are quoted as being "in length
equal from half to three-quarters, and
in breadth from one-eighth to fifteenth
of the diameter of a red blood corpus
Gle" This is quite unsatisfactory and
unscientific inasmuch as 1t makes one
average measurement, which is approx
mate. the standard for new measure
ment. In other words, it doubles the
chances of error.
1t will be noticed that my measure
ments, thus far available, place the av-
erage length and breadth considerably
under the above figure; and if the bacil-
Ii of extreme length, which are more fire.
Quent that the extremely short bacflli,
are counted in, the average length will
be raised considerably above that at pres
Hansen.
The measurements made from the bacil-
Ii drawn from the nodules with the fluid
give, under the same light conditions and
ragnifcation, a reduced average length
of a little under three microns, while the
breadth remains constant at 0.3 micron.
Measurements of the so-called spore-
hearing bacilli removed from cut sections
by paraffine flooding give an average
length of 3.G4 microns with the same con-
slant breadth.
Wherever the slides examined show
only a fair growth of bacilli, the average
measurements for length about the
same as those found in the fluids of the
nodules, or only slightly longer; but
where the growth is more luXuriant as it
approaches the centers of development
Immediately under the skin, the average
length increases rapidly, as do the num-
Der of erratic, sinuous and spiral forms.
1t must not be understood, however, that
the centers of growth are always to be
found in the tissues Immediately under
the skin; quite often dense and vigorous
colonies are found in the interior of
section cut through specimen, with one
or more barren stretches of optical field
between them and the more luxuriant
growth next the skin. A popularity of
these interior growths Is that at the in
ner edges the bacilli thin down to indi
vduals or stragglers very like the pio-
neers of q newly settled district which
one meets after leaving the centers of
population. Another peculiar growth
found in the interior of the sections cut
from the ear lobe is in lines of varying
width. which seemingly follow the wind
ings of the connective tissue
In examining the series of slides un-
der discussion the necessity for high
magnifcations was at once seen and pro-
vided for together with adequate illumi-
VI t., f-Nr1
900 to 1900 diameters for general obser-
walton and measurements, and from 5000
TO 5000 diameters for determining with
accuracy the form and structure OF indi-
vidual bacilli. Practically it will be
found that anything under 1000 dame
ters is inadequate for the serious study
of the smaller bacilli 1 believe that in
adequate magnification and poor illuni-
nation have led to many of the errors of
observation and loose statements found
50 often in scientific literature.
Let me illustrate, Under a magnifica-
ton of 1900 diameters no pointed leprosy
bacilG, so often described, will be found
for the very simple reason that under
this magnification the focusing must be
very exact. Therefore, It may be laid
down as rule that with proper illumf-
ma ton, sufficient magnification and ex-
act focusing, the pointed bacilli of lep-
rosy reported will disappear and all the
ends VIII snow Wen anu SLcdlly
defined Under low power, ordinarily
obtained with the 1-12-inch objective and
two-inch eyepiece. with the usual hap
hazard illumination, the pointed bacillus
reappears Very often the club-shaped
forms mentioned by Thin can be thus
brought into the optical field. These APP
pCarances for some reason, are more no
ticeable in slides made from the fluids
of the nodues than in the stained seq
lions: it may be the error first sprang
from this source.
4 similar case is that with high pow
ers and sections not exceeding three mi
crcns d-S,O0O of an inch), the so-called
'Ieprae cell' disappears like a ghost
with the light. 1t can be clearly seen,
however, in any section exceeding foGr
microns: and it will be found that the
thicker the section is cut the more prom
inent and clearly defined becomes this
deceptive optical appearance. With the
sections properly cut and stained, the IL
Illumination right. and the magnifcation
sufficient, the appearances which have
been called '1eprae cells" for nearly thtT-
~ years are resolved into clusters or
groups of bacilli lying within and be-
tween the tissues.
Since writing the above conclusion,
have received a book containing an abb
stract of the views of DR.. Unna of Ham
berg on the so-called "leprae CELL of tie
early observers. The conclusions reacn-