Abstract
In 1960, Shepard observed a limited multiplication of leprosy bacilli in the mouse foot pad. This limited multiplication type of infection has been confirmed by Rees and others. On the other hand, Waters and Niven reported that the limited multiplication, resembling that described by Shepard, had been achieved in the hamster ear and foot pad.
Such significant observations led us to an attempt to examine the fate of murine leprosy bacilli inoculated into the foot pads and ears of guinea-pigs.
At varing intervals, bacterial suspensions recovered from the tissues at the inoculation site were used for counting of the bacilli and for reverse transfer to mice to examine their multiplication and viability in the guinea-pigs. There was no evidence of multiplication of organisms in the ears and foot pads, and viability of organisms therein was remarkably diminished with time.
