TESTICULAR INFUSION AGAR 



347 



the removal of the gonococci without the admixture of soHd 

 particles of medium. 



Warden (1915) has recently pointed out that one of the fac- 

 tors in the autolysis of gonococci is excessive moisture; it is 

 suggested also that weak acids may inhibit autolytic disinte- 

 gration. At any rate smears from testicular infusion agar 

 cultures contain more whole cocci than those from ascitic agar, 

 but whether the acid reaction due to fermentation of the glucose 

 or the freedom of the media from excessive moisture, or both, 

 may be held responsible in this case can not be stated with 

 certainty. However, the factor of moisture in the media had 

 to be reckoned with in all our experimental and practical work 

 so that frequently where a clear cut result could not be obtained 

 with fresh media there was httle difficulty after a few days drying. 



I have chosen 3 per cent agar as the most suitable for further 

 use. 



GLUCOSE 



In the preparation of a portion of one lot of medium the usual 

 glucose was omitted. The prepared slants were dried at 37°C. 

 for 48 hours and afterwards at room temperature for four days. 

 The media still appeared quite moist and the growths upon the 

 controls where they appeared at all were patchy and unsatis- 

 factory even on further incubation after respreading. Further 

 drying at room temperature for ten days however led to a satis- 

 factory result as shown in table 2, cultures being made from 24 

 hour ascitic agar slants and incubated at 37°C. 



