BY R. GREICx SMITH. 451 



rod with rounded ends and occurs singly and in chains. The 

 individuals measure 0-6 : 2-3 p and form oval, central spores. It 

 is stained by Gram's method, and the single cells which have 

 been grown in bouillon at 37° C. are motile. On agar at 22° 

 there is formed a thin, white, spreading, syrupy layer. At 37° a 

 brownish-white, flat layer rapidly spreads over the agar-surface, 

 which soon appears as if it had been dusted with oatmeal. The 

 upper portion of the growth is furrowed laterally and downwards. 

 The condensed water has a strong crumpled skin. It has little 

 similarity to Bac. mycoides. On potato a dry, crumpled, thin 

 layer spreads over the surface. The colour is at first white with 

 a fawn tinge, later it becomes reddish-brown; the potato becomes 

 brownish. Bouillon is rendered turbid ; a precipitate and a 

 strong crumpled whitish film are formed. The indol reaction 

 was not obtained. Milk becomes alkaline in reaction and is 

 coagulated when warmed. Nitrates are slightly reduced to 

 nitrites. 



Frankland describes a Bac. ramosus which agrees with this 

 organism fairly well except in size; he quotes it as measuring 

 1 -7 : 7 /x. Fliigge describes his bacillus as moderately large. Bac. 

 implexus, Zimm., liquefies gelatine much more quickly than this 

 organism and it measures 1*15 : 2-5 ft. 



Bacillus gracilis, Zimmermann. 



This is an aerobic bacillus with a terminal spore. The young 

 rods are actively motile. In gelatine the colonies appear as dry, 

 white specks which do not liquefy the medium. Under a 

 sixty-fold magnification the deep colonies appear circular and 

 opaque. The amoeboid surface colonies appear very granular and 

 grained. The gelatine stab is filiform with a small nail-head, 

 which becomes moist glistening and amoeboid, while the filiform 

 track of the needle becomes tuberculate near the top. The 

 stroke on agar is narrow, white, moist glistening and raised; the 

 margin is ciliate. It does not appear to grow on potato. The 

 bacilli are long rods with rounded ends and measure 0-3-0-4:3-8^. 



