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“The result of these cultures was as follows :—
“(a) Drigalski plates—large number of colonies of the B. coli communis
“type, calculated to amount to over 300 per body of one mussel; large numbers
“of colonies of streptococci; few blue colonies, in general aspect not unlike
“colonies of B. typhosus.
“These blue colonies were sub-cultured in the usual media by which
“B. typhosus is investigated ; agglutination tests with typhoid blood serum was
“also made. The result was negative qua B. typhosus.
“(b) Both Malachite green broth tubes, 1 : 1,500, were free of growth.
“(c) Both Malachite green broth tubes had slight growth of cylindrical, very
“motile bacilli.
“These last tubes were used for sub-culture for further Drigalski plates; for
“gelatine culture and for agglutination tests, with the result that the above bacilli
“were not those of B. typhosus.“
These mussels were consigned to a firm of fish salesmen in the Market from
a dealer at Bruinisse, in Holland, arriving vid the Batavia line of steamships.
They were accompanied by a certificate, of which the following is a copy:—
“KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS.
“1908. “Valid only for the sending.
“d.d. 21 November, 1908.
“Certificate.
“The Board of Fisheries on the Scheldt and Zealand streams after personal
“investigation and personal knowledge, and also on the basis of the topographical
“and bacillary investigations, carried on by its orders for considerable time at
“fixed periods, both of the water and of the oysters/mussels, certifies that the
“ponds and the breeding grounds of Mr. Jan Johns Wemmers, Bruinisse, situated
“within the district of the Scheldt and Zealand streams, are free from noxious
“microbes, and in consequence of their position, not exposed to any reasonable risk
“of pollution by sewage, or objectionable filth.
“The Board aforesaid.
PRESIDENT
LS “(Signatures of) and
SECRETARY-TREASURER.”
In view of the results of Dr. Klein's analysis, which showed that, although
he was unable to identify the actual bacillus of enteric fever, the mussels were
polluted with organisms of a fæcal character, a copy of his Report was
forwarded to the Consul-General for the Netherlands, with the suggestion that
it would be advisable that the local conditions at Bruinisse should be further
investigated.