Observations on the influence of certain culture fluids and medicinal reagents in the growth and development of the Bacillus tuberculosis

The object of the inquiry is to determine the conditions under which theBacillus tuberculosis of Koch grows and multiplies, and to examine its behaviour under the influence of certain medicinal agents and reputed antiseptics. The sputum of patients in advanced phthisis was used for experiment, on account of its abundance, the number of tubercle bacilli found in it, and its being easily preserved from decomposition when protected from the air. It was spread on cover-glasses, due precautions being taken to ensure a uniform thickness of the film, and the staining process used was that known as the Weigert-Ehrlich modification of Koch’s original method.