M 112
16: No. 10, 999, 1931) and consists essentially of precipitating the proteins present by the addition of Tsuchiya's reagent and centrifugation in parallel with a similarly precipitated solution of known protein content, specially graduated conical centrifuge tubes being used. The level of the precipitate is then read and the figures substituted in a formula which gives the total protein present in mg. per 100 c.c. The protein content of 242 fluids was estimated in the present series and of 138 which were positive for the meningococcus the average proved to be 456.75 mg. per 100 c.c. (normal average according to McNaught 29 mg.). These and other data of a different nature have not yet been subjected to detailed analysis such as may reveal interesting relations.
The cultures of meningococcus (Neisseria intracellularis) isolated during the epidemic were sub-cultured and the majority kept alive and towards the latter part of the year these were subjected to type analysis. The antisera used were obtained from the Medical Research Council and consisted of Gordon and Murray's Types I, II, III and IV. The strains were sub-cultured for two or three months at least before the preparation of emulsions, except in a few instances in the early part of the epidemic. Emulsions were heated at 60°C. for one hour before the addition of 0.5% phenol. They were then kept for some months before being typed. The results may be seen in the accompanying table.
Total Type I Type II Type III Type IV Indefinite. Inagglutinable. No. of Strains. 1 0 32 0 10 2 2.2% 0 71.1% 0 22.2% 4.4%It will be noted that type III preponderates greatly to the complete exclusion of type II and IV. The agglutinating titre of the strains placed in many instances among type III was so nearly equalled by that of type I that it is almost certain that some of them really belong to the closely allied type I, with which only one strain was positively identified. With regard to the 10 strains labelled as indefinite, most of these showed practically equal agglutination with type I and type III antisera and it was thought better to place them in this group provisionally. They are being further studied and it is expected that some of them at least will be found to belong definitely to type I. Two strains were found to be completely inagglutinable, although they are undoubtedly meningococci. It is possible that these may correspond to Dopter's para-meningococcus beta and gamma or the C and D types of Nicolle, Debains, and Jonan.