Microbial Structures and Staining Reactions 99 



ticularly difficult to treat because their capsule is so much thicker 

 than we find in other types of pneumococci. Treatment with the 

 antibiotics is not dependent upon the specific type of capsular 

 material; all pneumococci react about the same to these newer 

 drut^s. Now that pneumococcus typing by a qualified technician 



Fig. 21. Ropy milk caused by the growth of Alcaligenes viscosiis. 

 (From Microbiology, W. B. Sarles, W. C. Frazier, J. B. Wilson, and 

 S. D. Knight. Copyright 1951, Harper and Brothers, New York.) 



is unnecessary, the time saved before specific treatment can be 

 initiated can mean the difference in the outcome of the disease. 



Another interesting sidelight on capsules is their role in pro- 

 ducing slimy, or ropy, milk. Some organisms (Alcaligenes 

 viscosus ) commonly found in swampy areas, among other locations, 

 are endowed with greatly enlarged capsules, and if these bacteria 

 become established in a milk processing plant, they can cause the 

 milk to become stringy. The relatively high resistance of these en- 

 capsulated forms to the normal heat and chemical treatments em- 



