THE LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS OF VINCENT'S INFECTION

¹ College of Physicians and Surgeons, San Francisco, Calif.

1. In Vincent's infection, and other pathological conditions of the mouth, direct smears contained several species of spirochetes, fusiform bacilli, and cocci.

2. The relative numbers of each of these organisms varied in smears from different parts of the mouth. Along the gingiva and in chronic cases of Vincent's infection, cocci, and thick crescent-shaped fusiform bacilli predominated. In acute Vincent's infection, and in deep necrotic pockets, the predominating organism was Treponema vincenti.

3. We consider our laboratory diagnosis of Vincent's infection positive only when Treponema vincenti is found as the predominating organism.

4. Attempts to produce experimental Vincent's stomatitis in kittens were unsuccessful, possibly because of a species immunity to the organisms productive of this disease.