Reports and papers on cholera in England in 1893 / with an introduction by the Medical Officer of the Local Government Board.
- Great Britain. Local Government Board
- Date:
- 1894
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Reports and papers on cholera in England in 1893 / with an introduction by the Medical Officer of the Local Government Board. Source: Wellcome Collection.
356/372 page 232
![Ai'P. C. On an Outbreak ot Diarrhooal Illness at Greenwich Workhouse, Oct. 1893; by Dr. Bulstrode. ADDENDUM No. I. Eepoht by Db. Klein on the Results of Bacteeiulogical JixAMiN.vnoN of Matekial from the Bodies ol: Inmates of the Qkeenwich WonKHOusE attacked by DjARniiiiAL Illness. No. 1.—H. 0., at. 71, an inmate of the Greenwich Union Workhouse, died on the morning of 11th October, while on a visit at Lambeth. Prom this case I received after the post-mortem examination on October 12th a piece of ileum. The gut was intensely congested, and it contained a brownish slightly blood-tinged fluid. On microscopic examination crowds of bacilli w^re detected, some very short cylindei'S, others long; someals« that were threadlike. Among them were present some few forms that looked not unlike commas, and here and there also a free flagellum. Cultivations made in peptone salt solution and in gelatine plates yielded negative results; no commas made their appeai'ance. No. 2.—Fluid vomit of F., received October 13th. On microscopic and cultural examiuation, wo commas could be detected. No. 3.—Semi-fluid brownish foecal stool of J. Eeceived on October 13th. Microscopic and cultural examination yielded negative results as regards commas. No. 4—A piece of ileum from the body of J. C. Received October 13th. The specimen was deeply cougested, and contained a brownish fluid. On microscopic examination flakes were found, consisting of epithelial cells with crowds of bacteria, the latter represented by short oval or cylindrical rods, and by threadlike forms. A few suspiciously comma-shaped bacilli were also found. Cultivations made in peptone salt solution, and in gelatine plates, did not, however, yield commas. No. 5.—-A stool of F. (see also No. 2). Received October 16th. This material was semi-fluid, brownish and distinctly foecal. Amongst the crowds of bacteria contained in it were some which were distinctly comma- shaped, with flagella attached to them. There were also jjresent free flagella. Cultivations were made in peptone salt solution. After 10 hours incubation at 37° C. the culture medium had become slightly turbid, and preparations made from the top layers showed a distinct crop of commas. Sub-cultures were therefore made in fresh peptone salt solution, and also in gelatine })lates, and both media yielded almost pure growths of comma- shaped bacilli. But they were not true cholera commas ; for they grew much more rapidly in gelatine than Koch's bacillus, and they liquefied this medium with rapidity, making it turbid. In peptone salt solution, thej'- grew only slowly at 37° C, much more rapidlj' at L'0° C. ; moreover when grown at 37° C, r.hey gave no cholera red reaction. On potato they formed, when grown at 37° C., after 2-3 days a brownish growth. On comparing them with Fitikler's commas they were found to resemble this organism in every respect, A second slool obtained later from the .same patient yielded on microscopic and cultural examination only negative results. No. 6.—Ileum from the body of Y. The specimen was much congested, and contained broAvnish foecal semi-fluid matter, in which were ci'owds of bacteria. Cultivations proved negative. No. 7.—A piece of ileum from the body of W. N. Received October 17th. The gut was deeply congested in parts. It contained no fluid, only greenish foecal matter. In its epithelium, scraped from the mucous membrane, there were found crowds of straight bacilli, some oval, some cylindrical, others filamentous. They were all of the same thickness, and might therefore belong to one species. Cultivations proved negative as regards comma bacilli. No. 8.--A fluid greenish stool of F. Gr. Received October 17th. Numerous bacteria were found in this specimen, but no deflnite commas. Cultivations proved negative ; no comma bacilli appeared in them. No. 9.—A piece of ileum fi om the body of M. M. Received October 17tb. The Bi)ecimen was deeply coujiested in patches, and contained semi-fluid yellowish brown foecal matter. Samples under the microscope showed a considerable number of threadlike chains of bacilli, with single cylindrical and oval rods. Cultivations were made, but the result was negative as regards commas. No. 10.—A fluid brownish stool of B. F. Received October ]7th. Amongst a crowd of straight bticilli (oval, cylindrical, and threadlike](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b20395899_0356.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
