136 THE BACTERIOPHAGE AND ITS BEHAVIOR 



a colony of a number of elements, the bacterium ruptures suddenly, 

 liberating into the medium the young corpuscles which are then ready 

 to continue the action (d'Herelle^''^'^^0- 



The extent to which the bacteriophage may multiply in the course 

 of the process of bacteriophagy, that is, the final titre of the suspension, 

 depends upon various factors, but the factor having by far the greatest 

 importance is the total number of bacteria capable of being bacterio- 

 phaged, and consequently available for serving as a ''culture medium" 

 for the bacteriophage corpuscles (d'Herelle^-'). 



