STUDIES ON BACILLUS WELCHII WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO GAS GANGRENE

1. Spores of the Bacillus welchii group of bacteria were found on 100 per cent of the uniforms of Belgian soldiers who had come directly from the trenches, and in the meshes of all the samples examined of the new cloth from which the uniforms were made. 2. In fifteen out of twenty fresh war wounds members of this group of bacteria were found. Of the fifteen patients, only three later developed gas gangrene. Once the spores of Bacillus welchii have been carried into a wound the deep-lying lacerated muscle tissue appears to be the most important factor in the onset of gas gangrene. 3. Bacillus welchii is able to grow and produce gas in broth containing up to 40 per cent saccharose. Some strains were able to multiply and produce gas in 50 per cent saccharose broth; but none of those examined were able to grow when the concentration of the sugar reached 60 per cent. 4. The bubbling of pure oxygen through milk or dextrose broth cultures of Bacillus welchii has a definite depressor action on the production of gas. This does not appear to be-due to a reduced number of organisms in the culture.

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ACTIVE IMMUNITY AGAINST BACILLUS ŒDEMATIENS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO BLACK DISEASE OF SHEEP AND THE POSSIBILITY OF THE PREVENTION OF GAS GANGRENE IN MAN: A PRELIMINARY COMMUNICATION

The Medical Journal of Australia ◽

10.5694/j.1326-5377.1930.tb41734.x ◽

1930 ◽

Vol 2 (18) ◽

pp. 601-606 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

W. J. Penfold ◽

Gilbert Parker

Keyword(s):

Special Reference ◽

Gas Gangrene ◽

Active Immunity ◽

Preliminary Communication

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Hyperbaric oxygen in anaerobic infection of the mediastinum

The Journal of Laryngology & Otology ◽

10.1017/s0022215100081500 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 89 (11) ◽

pp. 1147-1150 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

I. Monies-Chass ◽

H. Z. Joachims ◽

M. M. Altman

Keyword(s):

Hyperbaric Oxygen ◽

Anaerobic Bacteria ◽

Gas Gangrene ◽

Causative Organism ◽

Anaerobic Infection ◽

Road Accidents ◽

War Wounds ◽

Broken Bones ◽

Surgical Measures ◽

Oxygenation Level

AbstractIN the last decade hyperbaric oxygen has been recognized as an important therapeutic tool in a variety of instances in which either destruction of anaerobic bacteria is urgent or an improvement in the oxygenation level is mandatory. We have usede it successfully in a case of mediastinal anaerobic infection (gas gangrene) after medical and surgical measures had failed to eradicate the disease.The causative organism of gas gangrene, Clostridium perfringens (Welchii), is widely distributed. It may be cultured from the soil, house dust, human skin and faeces, etc. For this reason infection with Clostridium is practically inevitable whenever suitable conditions arise. As an anaerobic bacterium Clostridium Welchii multiplies readily in damaged tissues without cantact with the air and devoid of a normal blood supply. This occurs especially in road accidents and war wounds in which broken bones and crushed muscles provide a suitable medium for the infection (Altmeier 1965). Sometimes this infection can occur too after abdominal or gynaecological operations (Hitchcock, 1965).We present here a case of mediastinal gas gangrene which was caused by perforation of the oesophagus by a swallowed foreign body.

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THE PHARMACOLOGY OF THE RAUWOLFIA ALKALOIDS CHANDRINE AND SERPAKRINE

Canadian Journal of Biochemistry and Physiology ◽

10.1139/y60-110 ◽

1960 ◽

Vol 38 (1) ◽

pp. 889-897

Author(s):

A. K. Reynolds ◽

H. J. Presutti ◽

D. P. MacLeod

Keyword(s):

Smooth Muscle ◽

Special Reference ◽

Comparative Studies ◽

Hypotensive Activity ◽

Pharmacological Properties ◽

Root Extracts ◽

Cardiovascular Actions ◽

Per Se ◽

Ganglionic Blocking ◽

Depressor Action

The pharmacological properties of two new alkaloids of Rauwolfia serpentina have been studied with special reference to their cardiovascular actions. In several instances, comparative studies have been carried out with the clinically used alseroxylon fraction of R. serpentina. Chandrine and serpakrine do not profoundly influence the activity or behavior of intact animals unless administered in very large doses. They are completely devoid of the tranquilizing action that characterizes such bases as reserpine and rescinnamine. They do, however, exhibit marked hypotensive activity. The mechanism of this depressor action has not been clearly established. It is not seen in spinal animals, and there is no evidence of ganglionic blocking or peripheral adrenolytic action. The effects of chandrine or serpakrine per se on smooth muscle structures are not pronounced, but antiacetylcholine activity has been observed on these and other preparations. Their contribution to the actions of the clinically employed whole-root extracts is probably not very marked.

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