Abstract
A cooperative experiment was undertaken concerned with the direct cultivation of B. tuberculosis by the Loewenstein method from the blood of psychotic male patients at the Psychiatric Institute and Hospital.
Seven cc. of blood were introduced aseptically into a tube containing 3 cc. of a 10% solution of sodium citrate, sealed and sent by parcel post to Vienna. Bloods from male physicians and male attendants were sent as controls. Triplicate specimens of blood were taken from each subject at the same time. All tubes were numbered serially in New York. Professor Loewenstein did not know that the specimens were in triplicate. Neither did he know the diagnoses of any patients, nor that control subjects were included.
A careful physical examination of all patients and subjects by Dr. M. M. Harris, Research Associate in Internal Medicine, failed to reveal any clinical signs of active tuberculosis. This was further confirmed by radiographic examination. Dr. L. E. Hinsie, Research Associate in Psychiatry, not only vouched for the psychiatric diagnoses but took all of the blood samples. We are privileged to acknowledge our indebtedness to them.
Professor Loewenstein reported all of his findings before being informed of the diagnoses, etc. The results briefly summarized are as follows:
Upon visiting Professor Loewenstein in his laboratory this summer after the findings were recorded, we found 13 cultures reported as macroscopically positive which had not yet been discarded. These were brought back to New York and guinea pigs were inoculated. (One culture was dried out.) All of the guinea pigs came down with tuberculosis within 5 weeks after inoculation. All showed strongly positive tuberculin tests, local lesions at the site of injection, gross evidence of tuberculosis in the inguinal glands, spleen and liver, and stained smears revealed typical acid-fast bacilli. Cultures from these organs yielded macroscopic growth in all cases. Histological examinations proved positive.
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