5 7. Treponema 



Several unsuccessful attempts were made to secure material for 

 direct study of Treponema pallidum from syphilitic chancres. The 

 number of spirochetes were too few and got lost in the wash. At- 

 tempts at direct staining of spirochetes from infected rabbit testicle 

 were also unsuccessful. Several strains of cultivated Treponema 

 were stained and some of these are illustrated. Included among 

 these were strains labeled T. pallidum, Reiter, Nichol, Kazan, and 

 Noguchi. Some oral strains of Treponema were also studied. 



Flagellar Characteristics 



The Reiter strains of T. pallidum showed the best and most 

 unequivocal flagellation. The flagellation was subpolar multitri- 

 chous as illustrated in Figs. 64c and d. This appears to be the basic 

 flagellation of Treponema. The Kazan strain of T. pallidum also 

 showed this type of flagellation on some individuals. Many in- 

 dividuals of the strains named, and also the Nichol and Noguchi 

 strains, showed subpolar monotrichous flagellation. This type is 

 probably the same as subpolar multitrichous. 



Many individuals in most strains showed a polar monotrichous 

 flagellum-like structure illustrated in Fig. 64a. If this had been 

 the only flagellum-like structure seen in Treponema it would cer- 

 tainly have been labeled a polar flagellum. In the literature it is 

 referred to as a polar filament. A similar type of filament some- 

 times may be seen connecting two organisms as in Fig. 64b. These 

 polar and intersomal filaments have about the same wavelength 

 as the soma. So, for that matter, also have the subpolar flagella. 

 The average wavelength of the subpolar flagella is 1.2 microns. 



150 



