SYPHILIS. 257

in vulvar smegma from healthy individuals, a similar
organism, identical both in morphology and staining
peculiarities, could be demonstrated. Of course the oc-
currence of Ivustgarten's bacillus in the internal organs
could not but argue against the probability of its identity
with the smegma bacillus ; but lyiistgarten himself pointed
out that the bacilli of both tuberculosis and leprosy stain
by his method, and thus gave Baumgarten the right to
suggest that the few cases well adapted for the demon-
stration of the Lustgarten bacilli might be cases of mixed
infection of tuberculosis and syphilis.

The most recent research upon the bacteriology of
syphilis is that of van Niessen,1 who claims to have cul-
tivated a syphilis bacillus from the blood of a few cases.
Blood secured from a deep puncture at the end of a
thoroughly disinfected finger is caught in a sterile glass,
diluted with an equal quantity of distilled water and
kept for from ten to fourteen days at a temperature of
io°-20° R. (i3°-i5° C.). Very often the blood of syphi-*
litics is found subject to accidental contamination by
various well-known bacteria. When this is not the case,
however, the serum remains almost perfectly clear and
contains a large number of bacilli—syphilis bacilli. The
bacillus can be transplanted to bouillon, in which it grows
with the production of grayish-white shreds and floating
flocculi, some of which are suspended in the liquid, while
others form a membrane upon the surface.

When transplanted to obliquely solidified gelatin and
kept at room temperature, in the course of forty-eight,
hours a very fine, grayish-white, thready mass like:
cloudy streaks, and having a peculiar reflecting surface,,
can be seen. Under a lens this is seen to consist of lines
of threads which sometimes seem to penetrate into the
depths of the gelatin. After a time a layer is formed
upon the surface of the medium. Some liquefaction of the
medium occurs and causes the growth to slide down upon.

1 Centralbl.f, Bakt. und Parasitenk., Bd. xxiii., No. 2, Jan. 19, 1898, p. 49;,
No. 344, Jan. 31, 1898, p. 97; and No. 546, Feb. n, 1898, p. 177.
17