Diphtheria / by William P. Northrup ; measles, scarlatina, German measles / by Theodor von Jürgensen ; ed., with additions by William P. Northrup ; authorized translation from the German, under the editorial supervision of Alfred Stengel.

  • Northrup, William P. (William Percy), 1851-
Date:
1902
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Diphtheria / by William P. Northrup ; measles, scarlatina, German measles / by Theodor von Jürgensen ; ed., with additions by William P. Northrup ; authorized translation from the German, under the editorial supervision of Alfred Stengel. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    guinea-pigs and the absolutely aviriilent types there exist bacilli which, inoculated in animals, do not produce death directly, l)ut b}' a slow process of deterioration of the general system, emaciation, and sometimes death from an intercurrent disease (the so-called chronic toxemia). Diphtheria bacilli not only show a different degree of virulence in various cultures, but differ widely in the tenacity with which they retain their virulence. The bacillus used by the Board of Health for the production of toxins has, according to Park, retained its ^drulence almost unimpaired for four years (1898). Other cultures lose half their virulence in a few months. Animals dying of the toxemia produced by diphtheria show the following lesions, as described by Loffler: At the seat of inoculation there is a grayish focus surrounded by an area of congestion. Edema of the surrounding subcutaneous tissues and swelling of the adjacent lymph nodes are present. The pleura and pericardium contain an excess of fluid—clear, putrid, or bloody. The lungs are congested and may show subpleural hemorrhages. Areas of necrosis are seen in various organs. The heart-muscle and voluntary muscles show degenerative changes. There is fatty degeneration of the liver and kidnevs. The blood shows hvperleucocvtosis. The earliest reports on the effect of inoculations of diphtheria cultures in animals failed to recognize the occurrence of ])aralysis, in all probability, from the fact that the animals were killed by large doses too rapidly to allow the development of this symptom. If the animals do not succumb too soon to the disease, the paralysis is usually seen first in one or both hind legs, and from there becomes general. Rarely the muscles of the neck and larynx are first affected. As to whether a given diphtheria bacillus which is shown to l)e patho- genic for susceptible animals (guinea-])igs) must of necessity be so for man, there is some difference of opinion. Most writers agree that this is usually, if not always, a reliable test. Gorham, in carrying on the work of Wesbrook, believes the test an uncertain one, especially as he doubts the possibility of isolating one type of bacillus; for, as he says, after a guinea-pig is inoculated with one type, another is frequently recovered. This oj)inion must for the present be considered extreme, and for all practical ])urposcs the test of pathogenesis for man must be based upon the results obtained on the lower animals.