302 J. S. LAWRENCE AND W. W. FORD 



Litmus glucose agar colonies. Surface colonies thin, round or 

 irregular. Under low power found to consist of masses of 

 matted filaments with usually dense central nuclei, from which 

 single or parallel strands extend into the agar in every direction 

 for long distances. Deep colonies exhibit the same small, 

 punctiform and matted myceleoid growth, under lower power. 

 Medium first acidified and then made alkaline. 



Gelatin stab. Filamentous growth along line of inoculation 

 with surface liquefaction. 



Gelatin colonies. Colonies consist of dense central nuclei 

 with matted edges from which long strands emerge. The 

 colonies present a peculiar appearance like a chestnut burr. 



Broth. No turbidity but a firm scum forms which is soon 

 precipitated. 



Peptone. No turbidity, but a flocculent suspension and a 

 firm scum which is soon precipitated. 



Potato. Mealy white, later becoming brownish. 



Litmus milk. Slow peptonization to an amber-colored fluid. 

 No acidification. No coagulation. 



Blood serum. Dry, myceleoid interlacing luxuriant growth. 

 No liquefaction. 



Fermentation tubes. Glucose. Flocculent growth in bowl and 

 arm. Scum forms and is soon precipitated. Reaction acid. 



Saccharose. Flocculent in bowl and in arm. Scum is formed 

 and precipitated. Some cultures produce moderate acidity. 

 Others produce no acid. 



Lactose. Growth in open bulb with a slight extension into 

 arm. Scum formed and soon precipitated. Reaction alkaline. 



Thermal death point. Spores survived one hour in the Arnold 

 sterihzer and 15 pounds pressure in the autoclave. Destroyed 

 by 16 pounds pressure. 



'^Bacillus megatherium De Bary 



This organism was originally found and named by De Bary 

 (1884, 1887) and has since beeen described under a variety of 

 names by a number of authors. It is one of the most conmaon of 



