| Popis: |
Eight small epidemics of pemphigus neonatorum have occurred in Chicago within the last year. The disease is an epidemic staphylococcic vesicular dermatitis occurring usually in new-born babies from the fourth to the fourteenth day, but capable of being transmitted to older children and adults. The exciting organism is a peculiar strain of staphylococcus which is biologically and tinctorially indistinguishable from other strains of staphylococcus, but which shows characteristic pathogenic tendencies when causing the specific disease on the human skin. Morphologically on some mediums (broth and milk) it differs from the ordinary staphylococcus in that it appears as a kidney-shaped diplococcus with a tendency to form short chains. I have cultivated this organism in pure culture from the lesions, and it has fulfilled all of Koch's laws with respect to the disease. It is pathogenic for the lower animals, killing guinea-pigs and rabbits on intraperitoneal, subcutaneous and intravenous injections in less |
