Tissue Specificity in Anthrax Infection

[摘要] The ability of Bacillus anthracis to start an infection in various tissues of the body has been questioned. According to Besredka this organism can start an infection only in the skin. He contends that, “outside the skin the anthrax bacillus acts as a saprophyte” and further that, “in order to produce a fatal anthrax infection it is necessary to injure the skin.” It follows that if the injured skin is protected infection should not occur following introduction of the organism through it into the body. Of the various attempts made to detect pathogenicity of Bacillus anthracis for tissues other than the skin none have, so far as we know, included the protection of punctured skin by the use of antiseptics.In the following experiments gentian violet was used to protect the injured skin at the site of needle puncture. Gentian violet proved to be a very satisfactory antiseptic for this purpose.

[学科分类] 生物科学（综合）