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
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

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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    Jiesult.—Creosote, even in small proportions, is very inimical to the tn-owth of all three organisms. B. coli alone is able to grow even in the plates containing least creosote. The contrast between the effects of naphtha and of creosote upon V. cholerse is notable. V. Yeast Experiment. Since yeast growing in media containing sugar causes evolution of carbonic acid gas, it was interesting to see if it would in such media affect the growth of the organisms under consideration. The yeast used was termed real German yeast, such as is used largely in the culinary art in the preparation of cakes. It was quite fresh; and when inoculated into a tube of glucose gelatine, produced large quantities of gas, which broke up the medium considerably. The yeast grew well in the medium, conferring upon it a cloudy haze, and did not cause any early liquefaction. In plate culture, using the same medium, the yeast proliferated freely, with the same appearance, except that there was not the same evidence of gas production. Uayperwient. Glucose gelatine plate cultures were inoculated with V. eholerie, B. typhosus, and B. coli respectively, and each also simultaneously inoculated with yeast. Control plates of the same organisms were made without yeast. All the plates were incubated at 20° C., the cholera plates for 5 days, and the others for 8 days. The organisms all grew in the medium notwithstanding the presence of yeast. With the low power of the microscope ( x 105) the plates were examined, and the yeast cells could be seen here and there invading the colonies of the other organisms; perhaps this was less evident in the plate of B. coli than in the others. The B. coli colonies appeared to be lighter in colour by transmitted light than in the control plate, and also exhibited a less definite margin, their edges being very minutely crenated. The B. typhosus colonies maintained their natural outline, and did not appear so much decolorised in comparison with their control plate. The V. cholerie liquefied the gelatine in 4 to 5 days, as compared with 3 days in the control plate. The experiment was not repeated, as plate cultures are not gas-tight, and no effect of the carbonic acid gas, presnmably given off' by the yeast, was observed. It might be advisable to repeat the experiment with the Vibrio cholene, using instead of plate culture a closed Esmarch roll tube. SUMMAEY OF EESULTS OF EESEAECH. As each experiment has had its general result described already, it is only necessary here to emphasise the compreliensive results of the whole. I. Garronic Acid Gas. This gas was found to destroy, or arrest the growth of, the comma bacillus in a very decided manner. Tlie conditions favouring the arrest of growth appear to bo: (a) Atmosphere of ]mre carbonic acid gas or a higli ])ercenta<m of the gas in air. ”