Bacillus Aerogenes Capsulatus

A gas-producing bacillus (Bacillus aerogenes capsulatus, Nov. spec.) capable of rapid development in the blood-vessels after death. NIH – Medicine in the Americas, 1610-1920, By William Henry Welch, MD (1850-1934); and George H.F. Nuttall, MD, Ph.D, (1862-1937). From: The John Hopkins Hospital Bulletin, No. 24, Jul-Aug 1892

This infection is interesting because of the high death-rate and the frequency with which the condition is overlooked until too late for surgical interference. It is looked on as a rare condition, though it is more frequent than one would suppose. There have been three cases at the City Hospital since June 1, 1910, with three recoveries.

To Maissonneuve and Pirogoff is due the credit for the first clinical descriptions of the disease. Maissonneuve, writing in 1853, called the disease gangrène foudroyante, but it was not until 1891 that Dr. Welch discovered and described the organism. There has been much confusion as regards this organism and its pathologic processes, even the latest text-books giving little space to a clear description of this definite infection and its danger to life.

Resources & Additional reading:

• .NCBI, NIM, NIH – Observations Concerning the Bacillus Aerogenes Capsulatus by William H Welch, MD & Simon Flexner, MD. From the Pathological Laboratory of the Johns Hopkins University and Hospital. Pages 1-45
• JAMA - Bacillus Aerogenes Capsulatus infections, with report of ten cases. By Walter R Hewitt, MD, 1 April 1911
• ProQuest – Puerperal Infections with the Bacillus Aerogenes Capsulatus. By Francis Carter Wood Medical Record (1866-1922); New York, Vol. 55, Iss, 15 (Apr 15, 1899)): 535. Copyright information: Copyright Center for Research Libraries Apr 15, 1899