Studies on Epidemic Influenza: Comprising Clinical and Laboratory InvestigationsUniversity of Pittsburgh. School of Medicine
History
Studies on Epidemic Influenza: Comprising Clinical and Laboratory Investigations
University of Pittsburgh. School of Medicine
Influenza; Influenza Epidemic, 1918-1919
The hemophilic character of these bacteria indicates that they are
rather strict parasites, and despite the researches of Nastjukoff with
various egg media, and Cantani with a number of supposedly
non-hemoglobin additions to the agar, as well as the studies on
symbiosis, with other bacteria, by Cantani, Neisser, Luerssen and many
others, it still remains true that some form of hemoglobin is necessary
for their growth. Fresh blood either incorporated in the medium or
smeared on the surface is not the best medium for these bacteria.
Altered hemoglobin is much more favorable, and a variety of methods have
been devised to bring about those alterations which stimulate the growth
of B. influenzæ. One of the earliest, as well as one of the very best,
of these is the method of Voges, who added blood to melted agar at a
temperature of about 100° C. I have found this medium exceptionally
suited to growing B. influenzæ, and I consider it excellent for the
primary culture from the original material, for pickings from plates and
to obtain a heavy growth of B. influenzæ for any purpose. The medium was
used by Delius and Kolle (1897), Grassberger (1898), who spoke very
highly of it, and Paltauf (1899), who said that the use of this medium
made the demonstration of B. influenzæ possible when only a very few
were present. A great many other workers have used it with success, and
during the recent epidemic it has gradually found its place. Levinthal’s
medium (1918) is practically the same, although he boiled and filtered
the agar after the addition of the blood. The growth of B. influenzæ on
the Voges agar can properly be described as luxuriant, and to anyone
only accustomed to the use of ordinary blood agar it is an agreeable
surprise to see this supposedly delicate bacillus growing so remarkably
well.
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