A New and Rapid Method for the Isolation and Cultivation of Tubercle Bacilli Directly from the Sputum and Feces

Sixty-nine positive cultures were obtained from sixty-nine specimens of sputum from practically all stages of tuberculosis. Six of these specimens were negative by direct microscopic examination, but the cultures gave positive findings. These six specimens have been positive for tubercle bacilli at some time. Nineteen positive cultures were isolated from thirty-two specimens of feces. All these thirty-two specimens, upon direct microscopical examination, gave positive findings, some showing only a few tubercle bacilli. Six specimens were not free from contaminating organisms, and the remaining seven were negative. The method presented in this paper has proved very simple and accurate for the isolation of tubercle bacilli from sputum. The partial success in isolating tubercle bacilli from feces may be due to the fact that many of the bacilli may be dead.