162 SUMMARY OF CURRENT RESEARCHES RELATING TO 



organism, which, is itself incapable of causing gas-gangrene, plays an 

 important role in the etiology of certain cases of gas infection, and 

 provokes profound lesions of the vessels and muscular tissues. The 

 following is a short description of the organism : — 



Diplobacillus ; length 3-5 /a, breadth • 5-0 • 7 /a ; very motile in 

 exudates and in young cultures ; large subterminal endospores. Easily 

 stained by Ziehl ; numerous flagella. Strict anaerobe ; some strains 

 very difficult to cultivate. Develops well in broth and sugar-broths. 

 Old cultures slightly evil-smelling. Slowly digests white of egg and 

 rapidly liquefies gelatin. Milk is coagulated in from twenty-four to 

 forty-eight hours, and the clot is digested in from eight to fifteen days in 

 the incubator. The colonies in deep glucose agar are arborescent, and 

 gas is not produced in the medium. B. histolytkus is pathogenic for the 

 guinea-pig, mouse, and rabbit, and feebly so for the rat. 



