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(b) Bacillus coli communis, and one other coli-like species; both harmless.
(c) An anaerobic species of bacilli which proved highly pathogenic. This
microbe was predominating both in ice cream No. 1 and in No. 2, in the
former more copious than in the latter.
The injection of a small quantity (1 c.c.) of ice cream under the skin of guineapigs
produced disease after several hours, and death within 20 hours. The animal
injected with ice cream No. 1 died several hours sooner than the animal with No. 2.
The disease consisted in the development of severe and extensive inflammation
leading to gangrene; the wall of the abdomen, chest, neck and thighs being greatly
inflamed; the subcutaneous, cutaneous and muscular tissues showing haemorrhagic
infiltration; the whole of the intestine and stomach was inflamed and filled with
sanguineous mucus. The microbe causing this condition corresponds in some
respects to the bacillus of malignant oedema, in others to the bacillus emphysematosus,
both of these being anaerobic bacilli, which have been found in connection with and
causing of serious illness also in the human subject. I have as yet not been able to
ascertain quite definitely whether the microbe in question is the bacillus of malignant
oedema or the bacillus emphysematosus, or perhaps—which seems not improbable—
an as yet undescribed species, but this much is quite certain, that even small doses of
it are readily absorbed into the blood, and cause, besides the local extensive
inflammation, severe inflammation of the alimentary canal and liver with fatal
result. E. KLEIN.
St. Bartholomew's Hospital, E.G.,
July 31.st, 1902.
Addendum.—During the further more detailed study of this microbe, another highly
virulent bacillus paracoli was found associated with it. E. K.
On the 29th July the Medical Officer of the General Post Office reported
that he had a record of 13 suspicious cases, which presented the following
symptoms in common:—
Bellyache diffuse colicky pains in abdomen in all.
Headache in nearly all.
Vomiting in half.
Diarrhæa in less than half.
Nervous depression in nearly all cases to less or greater degree.
These symptoms were attributed to ice creams bought in the City.
On the 31st July another case was reported, with "symptoms of collapse,
"extreme pallor, anxious and contracted features, headache, slight pain in
"epigastrium; no vomiting or diarrhoea; pulse 95, feeble. He was taken
"ill with headache and nausea two hours after eating ice cream and
"Tottenham cakes."
Samples, No. 3 and No. 4, of the ice cream were at once obtained and
forwarded to Professor Klein, who found them to be innocent.
St. Bartholomew's Hospital and College,
August 6th, 1902.
Re ICE CREAM, No. 3 and No. 4.
I beg herewith to report on the bacterioscopic analysis of the two samples of
Ices, No. 3 and No. 4, received July 31st.
They were: No. 3, Water Ice.
No. 4, Cream Ice.