On the curative effect of carbonic acid gas or other forms of carbon in cholera, for different forms of fever, and other diseases / by C.J. Lewis.

Lewis, C. J. (Charles James), 1875-1937.

Date:: 1903

Credit: On the curative effect of carbonic acid gas or other forms of carbon in cholera, for different forms of fever, and other diseases / by C.J. Lewis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$It was noticed that tlie l)rotli cultiu'es of V. cliolenc grew relatively better in the presence of carbonic acid gas than the plate cidtnres of the same organism. Experiment 2. To ascertain the effect of carbonic acid gas on the growth in broth of Vibrio choleras, B. typhosus, and B. coli communis. Three broth tubes were inoculated, one with each organism, and set unplugged in air containing 40 per cent, of carbonic acid. Control tubes exactly similar were grown in air. The temperature of incubation was 20° C. Observations were made as follows;— In 48 holers.—Growth apparently taking place in all the tubes, but very slight in the tubes from the COg jar, which showed no turbidity such as that seen in the control tubes. Subcultures in broth showed that the organisms were alive in the COg tubes, though the gas had restrained growth. In 3 days.—The cholera tube in COg shows slight turbidity but no pellicle, and is less turbid than would correspond to one day’s growth in air, and much less so than in the control tube which showed a profuse pellicle. The typhoid tube and the coli tube show slight turbidity, not quite so pronounced as in their control tubes. In 7 days.—The cholera tube still shows no pellicle. It and the others all growing more feebly than the corresponding tubes in air. The tubes were now all transferred to a temperature of 37° C. for 3 days. Growth was at once increased notwithstanding the COg in the jar, and at the end of the 3 days a pellicle formed in the cholera tube, while the other organisms grew very rapidly. liesidt.—The carbonic acid gas restrains cholera organisms much more than either of the others, but at this temperature and in this percentage does not kill all the organisms in the broth culture. Eaising the temperature enhanced the growth to a veiy marked degree. Experiment 3. To compare the growth of the Vibrio cliolerre anaerol)ically, aerobically, and in a moderate percentage of carljonic acid gas, so as to observe whetlier the effects of exclusion of oxygen were tlie same as those produced by carbonic acid gas. ^ Brotli cultures of tlie organism were enqiloyed, and tlie temperature of incubation was 37° G. The anaerobic culture was placed iii a Buchner’s tube over pyropllate of potash solution. The carbonic acid chamber contained 40 per cent, of CO.,. The tubes were coiiqiared as follows:— “ In 24 hoii.rs some ]iellicl( growth and 1 lie aerooic culture showed no formation, the lellicle, while i L y KH l\.,\-M cllHl anaevohic enltnre showed little Llie carlionic acid cultim' showed$