On some spontaneous infections observed in mice

Summary

Pseudo-tuberculosis and polyarthritis in mice are caused by one and the same micro-organism,viz., Corynebacterium kutscheri. Experimentally pseudo-tuberculosis can be induced by intranasally injecting narcotized animals with drops of a suspension ofC. kutscheri. The injection of such a suspension in the neighbourhood of a joint leads to an inflammation of the latter. The organism forms a potent exotoxin. Pseudo-tuberculosis does not show itself unless the mice are for some reason or other in a weakened condition,e. g., on account of deficient food or by an infection with another pathogenic organism (e.g., withSalmonella enteritidis).