Studies on Bacillus Welchii With Special Reference to Gas Gangrene

Abstract

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.

Isolation and Identification of an Anaerobic Organism Producing Gas in Boiled Beef

“…Quantitative studies on the fermentations of Cl. welch& including the identification of products have been reported by Simonds (1915) , Wolf (1918-19), Wolf and Harris (1916-17), Wolf and Telfer (1917), and Esty (1920).…”

“…Glucose, levulose, galactose, maltose, sucrose, and lactose are readily fermented by all strains. The action on glycerin and inulin is variable, accounting for the f o u r subgroups of Simonds (1915). Quantitative studies on the fermentations of Cl.…”

“…Spm-e Formatio% and Resistawe t o Heat: Spores are not formed upon all media. Simonds (1915) may be taken as representing the general opinion concerning sporulation. According to the results of this investigator sporulation does not occur in media containing fermentable carbohydrates and is inhibited by the presence of acid.…”

Sugar and Salt Tolerance of Clostridium pasteurianum and Some Related Anaerobes

“…Dozier (1924) reported that the limiting concentration of sucrose for growth of C. botulinum was between 50 and 55 per cent. Simonds (1917) in a study of Clostridium welchii, in relation to gas gangrene, found that this organism would grow in broth containing sucrose in concentrations of 40 to 50 per cent. Only 2 of 10 strains studied grew in the higher concentrations and none grew in 60 per cent sucrose broth.…”

Investigation Relative to B. Welchii Infection of the Intestinal Tract as the Etiological Factor in Pernicious Anemia 1

“…EXPERIMENTAL B. Welchii spore counts. The characteristic stormy fermentation produced in milk cultures by B. Welchii was chosen as the means of determining the number of spores, and the method used was essentially a modification of one devised by Simonds (2).…”