“Absorption of typhoid bacilli from the peritoneal cavity”

Shortly after injection of typhoid bacilli into the peritoneal cavity of a rabbit the organs in most experiments are found to be invaded by the bacilli, more particularly the liver and spleen, in which there may be enormous numbers. By means of injection of lamp black, the peritoneal path for this rapid rush to the organ is shown to be by way of the anterior mediastinal lymphatic trunks. Even in five minutes after injection the trunks and the anterior mediastinal lymph node are markedly blackened.

On plating out the lymph nodes after injection of typhoid bacilli, they are often found to contain many millions of bacilli, and, as a general rule, if there are many bacilli in the lymph nodes there are also many in the organs.