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186
Typhoid Fever—
90 samples of blood from suspected Typhoid cases have been
examined, and in 24 (i,e., 26.7 per cent.) the characteristic
Widal reaction was obtained, although in 8 of the cases (i.e., 8.9
per cent.) this reaction was but slightly or feebly marked. In
66 (i.e.. 73.3 per cent.) no reaction was obtained. Experience
shows that, with a well-marked reaction obtained with a high
dilution of the suspected blood-serum (1-60 to 1-100), the Widal,
test is most trustworthy, and exceedingly useful, consequently
in settling the diagnosis in doubtful cases of illness which have
the appearance of Typhoid. It is not advisable to lay too much
stress upon a feebly (slightly) marked reaction, unless accompanied
by one (or more) of the well-known clinical symptons of
typhoid in the patient from whom the sample of blood has been
taken.
Diphtheria—
227 samples of throat membranes and secretions from doubtful
Diphtheria cases have been examined, and in 41 (i.e., 18.1
per cent.) the true (Klebs-Lœffler) bacilli have been obtained.
In 24 instances (i.e., 58.5 per cent.) the Klebs-Lceffler bacilli were
obtained in pure cultivation—i.e., without admixture with other
bacilli, whereas in the remaining 17 (i.e., 41.5 per cent.) the
Klebs-Lœffler bacilli were found combined with other well-known
bacilli as follows:—
Klebs-Lœffler + Staphylococci +
Torulœ 1 i.e., 2.4 per cent.
Klebs-Lœffler + Staphylococci 9 i.e., 21.9 per cent.
Klebs-Lœer + Streptococci 7 i.e., 71.1 per cent.
In 186 (i.e., 8T9 per cent.) of the total number of throat
samples examined the Klebs-Lœffler bacilli were not isolated,
but other bacilli were as follow:—
Streptococci 45 i.e., 24.2 per cent.
Pseudo-bacilli 2 i.e., 1.1 per cent.
Pseudo-bacilli + Staphylococci 7 i.e., 3.8 per cent.