PROTEUS VULGARIS 



649 



did not ferment sucrose, seem to show that too much stress should not be laid on 

 any single biochemical characteristic. Rauss's conclusions are supported by the 

 observations of Henriksen and Closs (1938), who found that both Proteus and 

 Morgan's bacillus were able to break down phenylalanine with the formation of 

 phenylpyruvic acid. 



Until a more thorough study has been made, we consider that the most con- 

 venient method of classifying the Proteus group is on the basis of maltose fer- 

 mentation and gelatin liquefaction, though we hesitate to ascribe specific names 

 to the members of the sub-groups. The X strains belong mostly to the maltose- 

 positive sub-group, but the Kingsbury strain differs in this respect, as well as in 

 its failure to liquefy gelatin. 



(For review of the Proteus group, see Cantu 1911, Berthelot 1914, Wenner and 

 Rettger 1919, Besson and Ehringer 1923, Moltke 1927, Taylor 1928, Yacob 1932, 

 Mello 1938). 



Proteus 



I 



Glucose -f 

 _ Mannitol and lactose — 



H^S + 



Gelatin liquefaction + 



Sucrose -f 



NH3 from urea -f 



~~l 



Gelatin liquefaction - 



Sucrose — 



NH, from urea slow 



Maltose -{- 

 Indole -|- 

 Serum liquefaction T 



I 



Some vulgaris and X 2 

 and X 19 strains. 



Maltose — 

 Indole — 

 Serum liquefaction ± 



I 



Most vulgaris strains 



and XK strains. 



(X K strains do not 



liquefy gelatin.) 



Indole -(- 

 Peptonization 



of milk — 

 morgani strains 



Indole — 

 Peptonization 



of milk -f 

 Atypical Morgan strains 



Fig. 138. 



This diagram must be regarded as merely tentative, and subject to both exceptions and 

 alterations. 



Proteus vulgaris 



Synonym. — B. proteus vulgaris. 



Isolation.- — By Hauser in 1885 from putrefying material. 



Habitat. — Putrefying animal and vegetable matter ; often in faeces, soil and infected 

 wounds. 



Morphology.- — Straight or slightly curved rods, 1 •0-2-5 fi X 0-4-0-6 fi, with parallel sides 

 and rounded ends ; arranged singly, in pairs end-to-end, and in short chains. In 

 young swarming cultures, long curved filamentous forms are common. Consider- 

 able variation in length ; ovoid forms in pairs may be seen, and in old cultures 

 large bloated forms. Staining is fairly uniform, though variations in depth occur. 

 Actively motile by numerous peritrichate flagella, though slightly motile forms 

 with 4 flagella, two at each end, and non-motile forms devoid of flagella may 

 occur. Gram-negative. 



Agar Plates. — 24 hours, 37° C. The whole plate is covered with a slightly raised layer of 

 growth, which, but for a faint rippling or contouring of the surface and a marked 



