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They have also been found in circulating blood of syphilitics by a number of observers. These organisms when taken from the base of the papules have been observed to be agglutinated, some of the organisms being sometimes seen as stiff spindles, or thread-like bodies shaped like an S.

Until quite recently the staining of these organisms has been thought to be quite difficult to accomplish, but as has been lately shown by Bandi & Samonelli, it is quite easy to attain.

The principal methods of staining these heretofore have been as follows:

1. By solution of azure blue.

2. By solution of marine blue.
3. By Reitmann's process.
4. The method of Geimsa.

5. By the solution of van Ermengem.

While working with these organisms in the laboratory of the State Board of Health, I have succeeded in staining them by a comparatively simple method. The Romanowsky stain as modified by Dr. H. F. Harris is the one used. This method is as follows: The slide containing the smear is placed for a second in 10 per cent solution of formalin in 95 per cent. alcohol; it is taken out immediately and washed well with distilled water; it is then placed for 30 seconds in 1-1000 aqueous solution of eosin; this is again washed with water and placed for 2 or 3 minutes in the following solution:

Unnas methylene blue...

1% methylene blue.

Distilled water...

5 parts.

5 parts.

.90 parts.

The above stains should be from Gruebler & Co., and

the methylene blue medicinally pure.

The slide is then removed, washed in water, dried in

the air and mounted in cedar wood oil or acid free balsam. This method is quite simple, requiring about four minutes for the entire staining process. By this method spirochetae are stained a pale rose or bluish color. The organisms are perfectly defined by this method, and I have never failed to find them with this stain when they could be demonstrated by the method of Giemsa.

Another method which is highly recommended by Bandi & Simonelli is as follows: To one litre of diluted water is added one grm of eosin (Gruebler & Co.) and to another litre one grm of methylene blue (Meister Lucius & Bruning); these were mixed and allowed to stand two, five or seven days. The mixture is then filtered and the precipitate is washed with water until no color comes away; it is then dried in the air and of it is made a saturated solution in pure methylic alcohol.

In using this stain cover-glasses are dried in the air as usual, and a few drops of this stain are put on and allowed to remain from four to ten seconds; it is then washed very rapidly with distilled water. The stain should not be left on for more than five to ten seconds. The spirochetae are stained very clearly by this method. If a stronger contrast is desired this stain is allowed to remain for a few seconds longer, when it is washed quickly and rapidly with water until only a diffuse rose color remains.

For demonstrating these organisms in the tissues the following method, recommended by Levaditi, gives most excellent results:

Ist. The portion of the tissue to be examined is cut into pieces one millemeter thick and fixed for twentyfour hours in 10 per cent solution of formalin in water.

2d. Wash and dehydrate in 96 per cent. of alcohol for twenty-four hours.

3d. Wash with distilled water for several minutes. Infiltrate with an aqueous solution of nitrate of silver one and a half to three per cent., the solution of preference being three per cent. This infiltration should be accomplished at thirty-eight degrees C. and continue from three to five days.

4th. Wash quickly with distilled water and allow to remain at the ordinary temperature of the room for twenty-four to forty-eight hours in the following solution: 2 to 4%.

Acidi Pyrogallici
Formalin...

Distilled water.

5 c. c. 100 c. c.

5th. Wash with distilled water, dehydrate with alcohol; xylol, paraffin and section (5m. should be the maximum).

6th. These sections are then stained by one of the following methods:

(a) Stain for a few minutes with Giemsa solution, wash with water and differentiate with absolute alcohol to which has been added a few drops of the essence of Girofle clear in xylol or bergamot, mount in Canada bal

sam.

(b) Stain for a few minutes with a concentrated solution of tolouidin blue in water, differentiate with alcohol, to which has been added a few drops of Unnas glycerine -ether mixture, clear in xylol or bergamot, and mount in Canada balsam (the procedure recommended by M. Manouechian).

While, as above stated, it can not be proved conclusively that this is the specific organism in the production of syphilitic disease, since all attempts at artificial cultivation has failed, and consequently it can not fulfil the law of Koch, still, as in the case of the ameba coli, its constant finding will simply by force of numbers establish its etiologic rule.

Metchnikoff believes that this is a specific organism for the following reasons: First, the constant finding of the parasite in the primary and secondary lesions; second, the confirmation of these findings in the most widespread countries of the world; third, the presence of great numbers in hereditary syphilis; fourth, the presence of spirochetae in the circulating blood of syphilitics.

It is a well-known fact that syphilis is not contagious in the tertiary stage, and there is no authentic report of these organisms having been found in tertiary syphilis. This of itself lends great weight to the organism as being specific.

It is at present difficult to say just what this discovery will mean to medicine, but it is certainly not too sanguine to hope that it will contribute an infinite amount of good in perfecting the prophylaxis of this disease.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

1. Schaudinn und Hoffmann, Arbeiten aus dem Kaiserlichen Geisundheitsamte, Band 22, 2 tes Heft, p. 527, Anno 1905.

2. Metchnikoff et Roux, Annales de l'institute Pasteur e'tudes experimentales sur la syphilis, Nov. 1905, Annee 19me, Tome 19, p. 673.

3. Ibid. Levaditi L'Histologie pathologuique de la syphilis hereditaire. Annee 20. Tome 20, p. 41.

4. Giemsa, Centralblatt f. Bakt. Bd. 32, p. 307.

5. Neisser. Deutsche med. Wochenschr., 1904.

6. (a) Centralblatt f. Baktr. Bd. 40, Heft 1, Nov., 1905. Bertarelli, Volpino und Bovero, p. 56. (b) Bandi und Simonelli, Ibid., p. 64. (c) Bandi und Simonelli, Ibid., p. 159.

7. H. F. Harris, Centralblatt f. Bakt. Bd. 34, Anno 1903, Heft 2, p. 188.

8. Jaquet et Sevin, Presse medicale 1905. 24th mai in Soc. med. des. hop.

9. Lassar, Berl. klin. Wochenschr. 1903-28 Dec. 1904.

10. Zabolotny, Arch. sciences biolog., T. xi.

11. Salmon, C. R. Soc. de biolog., T. lvi.

12. Seigel, Abhandlungen der K. preuss. Akad. der Wissensch,

13. Schaudin und Hoffmann. Deutsche med. Wochenschr. 1905, No. 18, pp. 711-714.

14. Schaudinn und Hoffmann, Berl. klin. Wochenschr. 1905, Nos. 22, 23.

15. La Syphilis, T. 3, No. 7, pp. 521-522.

16. Buschke und Fischer, Deutsche med. Wochenschr. 1905, No. 20. 17. Levaditi, Soc. de biolog. de Paris, seance du 20 mai, 1905. 18. Metchnikoff et Roux, Recherches microbiologiques sur las syphilis - Academie de med. de Paris, seances du 16 mai, 1905.

19. Salmon, Ibid.

20. Krauss, Semaine medicale, 1905, p. 247.

21. Thesing, Ibid.

22. Giemsa, a. a. o.

23. Levaditi, a. a. o.

DISCUSSION ON DR. ANDREWS' PAPER.

Dr. H. F. Harris, of Atlanta: Dr. Andrews has correctly stated the facts when he said that no one can speak positively at the present time as to the real significance of these organisms in the causation of syphilis, but so many observers have succeeded in demonstrating them that it is highly probable, if not absolutely certain, that they are in reality the cause.

I rise mainly for the purpose of stating to the Association that examinations for these organisms will be made in the State Laboratory, and any member who wishes to send preparations to us will have them examined and reports made to him at once.

Dr. F. G. Hodgson, of Atlanta: I enjoyed Dr. Andrews' paper very much, and desire to call attention to an error which is made by men who are not careful in examining a tonsillar ulcer for the diphtheria bacillus. I find a number of spirochetae can be demonstrated from spirocheta pallida. They are called spirochetae tendi. They are much larger than spirocheta pallida, and have more wavy outlines than the latter.

Dr. W. S. Goldsmith, of Atlanta: I think the last two

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