Experimental Studies with Endamoeba Gros

F. Hecker
1916 Journal of Infectious Diseases  
It is but a short time since, that investigators' announced the cause of pyorrhea alveolaris as an entameba found in the pus around the root of the affected tooth. This assertion was unaccompanied by any experimental evidence. To conclude that an entameba found in the pus around the root of a tooth is responsible for the production of pyorrhea alveolaris is no more rational than to conclude that any other of the many different species of bacteria found there is responsible. The technic pursued
more » ... n the experimental study of Endamoeba Gros reported here, was as follows: The cheesy debris covering the neck of the affected tooth is removed with a pledget of cotton held by thumb forceps. Immediately the platinum loop is sterilized in a gas or alcohol flame, and after cooling is carefully passed to the bottom of the root socket. Care must be exercised in passing the loop into the root socket for the reason that there is a marked hypervascularization of the tissues in the immediate vicinity of the root of the tooth; slight trauma causes a hemorrhage which at times is difficult to control, and the loop, which should contain a sample of pus, contains erythrocytes instead. The loop having been passed without accident into the deepest portion of the root socket of the diseased tooth, is moved upward, downward, and laterally, the object being to collect a specimen from the entire area of disease. Then the loop is carefully withdrawn from the root socket, and its content mixed with a drop of sterile salt solution on a clean slide. A cover slip is placed over the drop of emulsion and firmly pressed against the slide. The specimen is now ready for microscopic examination. Having determined the presence of active entamebas, we are ready to commence the actual isolation of the protozoa. The technic for the preparation of the cell, and of the cover slip, the making of the capillary pipets, the centering of the pipets, and the operation of the pipet holder has been described," The preparation of cell and cover slip having been completed, a coarse capillary pipet is made, to the free end of which is fastened a piece of rubber tubing. The free end of the tubing is placed between the lips, and the point of the pipet is immersed in sterile broth in a test tube; suction by the mouth then draws any desired quantity of broth into the pipet. With the pipet charged and carefully passed under the cover slip, a series of small droplets is deposited on the under surface of the cover slip by making slight pressure with the mouth on the rubber hose. On the completion of this step another specimen of pus is collected from around *
doi:10.1093/infdis/19.5.729 fatcat:d7jtcqgmvnb5bcxk4pjwxr6n44