Observations on the Filtrability of B. Tuberculosis.

Abstract

A series of 21 guinea pigs was inoculated with the Berkefeld filtrates of tuberculous material. Of 12 animals autopsied so far, acid-fast bacilli have been identified in the direct smears from the lung, inguinal and tracheo-bronchial glands of 3 of the animals. Prolonged search was necessary to demonstrate the organisms which, however, occurred usually in large clumps when found.No definite evidence of tuberculosis was found by histological methods, except in the lungs of two of the positive animals. These showed small punctate areas of granulomatous, endotheloid hyperplasia, not specific for tuberculosis. The lesions did not differ materially from those found in the lungs of one out of twelve control animals examined.Exhaustive search of the smears of the lymph glands and lungs of 12 uninoculated animals did not disclose the presence of any acid-fast bacilli. Cultures and inoculation experiments from positive animals yielded negative results.These results as a whole appear in accord with those of the Fre...