Diagnosis of plaque: an analysis of the Yersin-Kitasato controversy.

INTRODUCTION .......................................... 633 THE INVESTIGATORS ............. ............................ 634 Shibasaburo Kitasato ............ ............................. 634 Alexandre Yersin ........... ............................... 634 THE DISCOVERY OF THE PLAGUE BACILLUS .............. ................ 635 The Arrival of Yersin and Kitasato at Hong-Kong ............. ................ 635 Yersin's Report .......................................... 636 Kitasato's Reports ........... .............................. 636 A Comparison of Papers ............... .......................... 638 OPPOSITION .......................................... 638 CONFIRMATION ........... ................................ 639 THE PROBLEM .......................................... 640 AN ANALYSIS OF THE BACTERIOLOGICAL DATA .......... ................ 642 The Question of Streptococcus pneumoniae ................................... 642 Bacteriology of Plague .............. ........................... 643 CONTAMINATION ........... ............................... 646 KITASATO'S REEVALUATION ......................................... 647 CLINICAL APPLICATIONS .................. ....................... 648 CONCLUSIONS .......................................... 648 LITERATURE CITED ............ ............................. 648