Bile media in typhoid diagnosis

Abstract

Ten c.c. of blood are drawn from a vein and distributed into three flasks of sterilized ox bile, 20 c.c. of bile in each flask.

Of twenty seven cases of suspected typhoid examined in the course of two months, seven were reported negative and twenty positive. Of the seven negative cases, six proved to be certainly not typhoid, and one was very doubtful. Excluding the doubtful case, there is a record of 100 per cent, in cases ranging from the fifth to the nineteenth day. By means of litmus-lactose-agar plates, reports can be made in 24 hours with a fair degree of certainty. After incubating the bile-blood over night, streaks are drawn over the plates, and in 5 or 6 hours a growth may be visible. If the growth prove to be a bacillus which reacts to a microscopical Widal test the case is reported positive.