Microbiology: bacillus of colon group. Pathogenesis to Guinea pigs:
rabbits, pigeons and chickens refractory to artificial cultures.
Treatment.
_Synonym._ “Going Light,” Bacterial Infection of the Duodenum.
C. F. Dawson, in investigating a wasting disease of well fed Brahma
fowls in Maryland in which there was no appreciable symptom except the
gradual and extreme loss of flesh and weight found in all cases a
catarrhal duodenitis, with the presence in the contents of a bacterium
in pure cultures, and apparently allied to bacillus coli communis.
_Bacteriology._ The bacterium is 1 to 1.3μ long, by .5μ wide, with
rounded ends, often in pairs. It does not stain in acid nor alkaline
methylene blue, carbol fuchsin, nor alcoholic dyes, but stains easily in
aqueous solutions of the same stains and by Gram’s method. It is ærobic,
facultative anærobic, grows at 50° to 120° F. in acid or alkaline beef
bouillon, with fœtor; in glucose, saccharose, or lactose bouillon with
the production of acid; in milk causing coagulation; on gelatine, agar
and potato. Growth in Bouillon ceased at 131° F. and sterilization took
place at 135° to 140° F. Vitality was not lost under freezing nor
drying. It was killed by a 1 per cent. solution of carbolic acid in five
minutes, or by formaldehyde gas, but not by lime water.
_Pathogenesis._ Inoculated subcutem, in a _Guinea pig_ caused death in
24 hours, with a necrotic œdematous condition of the adjacent tissues
like malignant œdema, and containing the microbe. It was further found
in the liver, spleen, abdominal exudate, heart, blood and lungs, but not
in the kidneys.
It proved harmless to _rabbits_ when injected subcutem, but fatal in 24
hours when thrown into the peritoneum. The lesions were severe
duodenitis and omental inflammation, and the bacterium was found in the
liver and duodenal wall.
Pigeons, rats and mice proved refractory to the artificial cultures,
also chickens. The latter were injected subcutem, intraabdominally and
intravenously. Yet in view of the constancy of the lesion in hens with
the microbe in pure cultures and the absence of all other morbid
conditions, Dawson felt justified in attributing the disease to this
microörganism. It is possible that his experimental hens had become
immune from a previous attack, or failed in some condition of food or
environment which is essential to pathogenesis, or finally there may
possibly be some other infinitesimal microbe present which escaped
observation, but which furnished the occasion for the coincident
development of the colon bacterium.
_Treatment._ The indications are: the expulsion of the offending
bacterium to be followed by nutritious, easily digested food, pure water
and tonics. Dawson advises castor oil in dose of two teaspoonfuls, or
calomel ¼ grain repeated till purgation occurs; and to be followed by
powdered fennel, anise, coriander, cinchona of each 30 grains; powdered
gentian and ginger of each ½ dram; powdered copperas 15 grains. The
addition of bismuth, pepsin, or orexin may be suggested.