52 



gram-positive, and with NeiSSER's method they stain Hke Baees- 

 ErnST's granules in diphteria-bacilli. They are beautifully 

 brought into view by staining with KuhNE's crystalviolet solution, 

 fixing with Lugol's solution and decolourising with alcoholic 

 eosin-solution. The granules show blue and the threads rosa. 



The granules often are thicker than the mycelium. Where 

 the threads pass out of the medium the number of granules 

 increases, more so in old than in young cultures. In older 

 cultures the whole thread often is taken up by granules. At 

 the same time the threads become less visible and less distinct. 

 In this way it happens that the oldest parts of a culture, and 

 in old cultures practically the whole of the growth, seems to 

 consist of granules. On closer examination however traces of 

 the threads are discovered. We therefore come to the conclusion 

 that the mycelium forms granules within the threads, and that 

 after this the threads fade away. In carefully prepared sections 

 isolated granules, coccuslike bodies or bacillarylike bodies are 

 never to be seen. There is only a welldeveloped mycelium, 

 which on becoming old dies off and leaves behind a mass of 

 granules. 



Now when from this sort of cultures smears are made in 

 the usual way it necessary follows from the above considerations 

 that a quite different picture must be seen. We now may see 

 threads, granules in these threads, isolated coccuslike bodies, 

 and by breaking up the mycelium, bacillary-like bodies. 



As to the nature of the granules there can be little doubt. 

 Even from cultures wherein the threads have faded away it is 

 possible to ohftain sub-cultures. When one studies these sub- 

 cultures it is seen that the culture after 24 or 48 hours only 

 contains ,, cocci" and very short threads. Later on longer threads 

 occur and after a certain while granules begin to show them 

 selves within the threads. 



These are very strong arguments in favour of the theory that 

 these granules are spores. 



But if we accept this view then their way of origin forbids 

 us to call them conidia or exospores. As they develop within 

 the threads their name necessarily must be endospores or gonidia. 



Nocardiae are supposed to belong to the class of Fungi 

 Imperfecti, of which class the common characteristic is: repro- 



