302 MANUAL OF MICROBIOLOGICAL METHODS 



Hemolysis, a dissolving action on red blood corpuscles. 



Hemorrhage, an escape of blood from the vessels. 



Histolysis, breaking down of tissues. 



Hyaluronidase, an enzyme which hydrolytically splits hyaluronic acid 



of tissues. 

 Hydrolysis of starch, decomposition of starch by the incorporation of 



water; includes diastatic action but is a more general term. 

 Immune serum, a serum containing an antibody. 

 Incubation, keeping a culture at a temperature (usually optimum) to 



facilitate development. 

 Indicator, a colored compound w^hich changes color with changes in pH 



or with changes in oxidation-reduction potential. 

 Infundibuliform (Infundibule) , in form of a funnel or inverted cone. 

 Intraperitoneal, within the peritoneum. 

 Intravenous, within a vein. 



Iridescent, exhibiting various and changing colors in reflected light. 

 Irregular, applied to colonies, indicates a nonuniform, variable periphery. 

 Lecithinase, an enzyme which dissolves lecithins, e.g., in egg protein. 

 Lesion, a local injury or morbid structural change. 

 Lobate, having lobes, or rounded projections. 

 Maximum temperature, temperature above which growth does not take 



place. 

 Membranous, growth thin, coherent like a membrane. 

 Methemoglobin, a modified form of oxyhemoglobin; green hemolysis 



produced by certain bacteria. 

 Microaerophilic, growing best in presence of small quantities of oxygen. 

 Micrococci, cocci that divide randomly in three dimensions, resulting in 



irregular groups. 

 Minimum temperature, temperature below which growth does not take 



place. 

 Morphology, form, shape, structure. 

 Motility, ability to move spontaneously. 

 Mucoid, mucuslike, referring specifically to a bacterial phase producing 



slimy growth. 

 Napiform, liquefaction in form of a turnip. 

 Opalescent, milky white with tints of color as in an opal. 

 Opaque, not allowing light to pass through. 



Optimum temperature, that temperature at which some reaction, com- 

 monly rate of reproduction, takes place most rapidly. 

 Papillate, growth beset with small nipplelike processes. 

 Parasitic, deriving its nourishment from some living animal or plant 



upon which it lives and which acts as host; not necessarily pathogenic. 

 Pathogenic, not only parasitic but also causing disease to the host. 



