CHAPTER III 

 Preparation of Media 



G. W. Burnett, M. J. Pelgzar, Jr., and H. J. Conn 



INTRODUCTORY 



Scope 



The presentation of the data in this chapter is an attempt to describe 

 growth media which have proved to be of general value to bacteriologists. 

 The media to be discussed are usually employed for the isolation and 

 maintenance of pure cultures and for the identification of species accord- 

 ing to physiological properties. No group of bacteria will receive par- 

 ticular attention except to the extent that data will naturally be more 

 complete concerning media for groups rather thoroughly described. The 

 information presented herein is intended primarily as an introduction to 

 the description of growth media for those unfamiliar with the problems 

 of bacterial cultivation. It is realized that the experienced specialist 

 may employ media considerably different from those described below, 

 but the fundamental ideas for a given medium would probably be similar 

 to those presented here. 



For the purposes of this chapter, the media included are classified as 

 follows: "Cultivation and Storage Media/' ''Enrichment Media," 

 ''Differential Media,'' "Media for Determination of Physiological Prop- 

 erties," "Media for Specific Bacteriological Procedures," "Media for 

 Special Purposes." It is obvious that all previously described media will 

 not be included; some time ago Levine and Schoenlein (1930) compiled a 

 few thousand of the published formulas. Suggestions for media of par- 

 ticular value in clinical diagnostic laboratory procedures may be found in 

 Kitchens (1945), Gradwohl (1948), Marshall et al. (1947), Schaub 

 and Foley (1952), Simmons and Gentzkow (1955), Stitt, Clough, and 

 Branham (1948), Wadsworth (1947), the laboratory manuals of the 

 U.S. Army, Navy, and other such sources. Very valuable information is 

 available also in the manuals and catalogues of the companies which pre- 

 pare dehydrated media; these catalogues are available free of charge 

 directly from the companies. 



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