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102
rabbits were killed by small doses of it within 20 hours. Mice were
also rapidly killed by the organism, guinea-pigs were less acutely
affected.
It was then decided to observe the effect on the joint of further
hanging, which was accordingly hung in a moderately dry
atmosphere until 19th April, when a further examination was made.
On the latter date there was not any obvious change in the
appearance of the joint, except a certain amount of shrinking up.
The meat was already in a dry condition when received, and not in
a state in which it would undergo putrefaction, so long as it was
kept in a dry atmosphere. After this further hanging the meat
was still free from any pronounced smell, nor did it present any of
the appearances of putrefaction.
A further bacteriological examination shewed that organisms
(a) and (6), as mentioned above, had by this time died out; and a
pure culture of Bacillus enteritidis was obtained on all the ferobic
plates prepared from the meat. A careful examination demonstrated
the absence of any sporing organisms, whether of aerobic or
anaerobic habit.
On testing the cultures of Bacillus enteritidis obtained at this
second examination, it was found that the organism retained the
high degree of virulence observed in the strain isolated at the
previous examination.
(Signed) Alex. G. R. Foulerton, F.R.C.S.,
Director of the Bacteriological Laboratorios at the Middlesex Hospital.
0th May, 1904.
Mr. Foulerton further points out, and I entirely agree with him,
that it is obvious that meat containing large quantities of this bacillus
is totally unfit for human food. Bacillus enteritidis (Gaertner) is
not only highly pathogenic for some of the lower animals, but it
has been found as the cause of intense enteritis, followed in some
cases by death, in man, and has been shown on more than one
occasion to be the cause of so-called " ptomaine poisoning " and
meat-borne outbreaks of illness.
It is true that in the ordinary process of cooking this bacillus
would probably be destroyed, but when present in such large
quantities, as proved to be the case in this venison, the meat would