368 S. E. GIFFORD 



varied as follows: In 4 a majority were Gram-negative at first 

 but examination after two to five days showed a majority Gram- 

 positive. In 1, the majority remained Gram-positive at first and 

 second examinations. The organisms varied greatly in length, 

 and it was thought some difference in staining coincident with 

 the difference in size might be observed. While the longer 

 thread-like organisms which were considered as involution forms, 

 were almost always Gram-negative, the typical fusiforms, of 

 whatever length, showed about an equal number of cells Gram- 

 positive and Gram-negative. 



A few attempts were made to cultivate the organisms, to ob- 

 serve whether the Gram-staining properties changed with age. 

 Cultures were made from gingival ulcers, or from the tonsils, on 

 Loeffler's serum made anaerobic by the Buchner- Wright method, 

 also in anaerobic meat-broth and in Veillons. It was found that 

 in the first and second cultures a fair number of slender bacilli 

 could be found, some of which had a distinctly fusiform appear- 

 ance. The majority of these were Gram-negative, a few Gram- 

 positive. No spirilla were ever found. 



One strain from an ulcerated throat showed a good many 

 distinctly fusiform oganisms in the third generation after sub- 

 culture in aerobic and anaerobic meat-broth for fifteen days. It 

 is interesting that this strain, which in direct smears and first 

 cultures showed a majority of Gram-positive bacilli, showed a 

 much larger number Gram-negative in the second and third 

 generation. In the older growth of the original culture this tend- 

 ency was even more plainly shown. The aerobic meat-broth 

 after ninety-six hours showed the bacilli all Gram-negative, while 

 in the anaerobic meat-broth about half were Gram-negative. 

 This was the only strain in which such a tendency to Gram-nega- 

 tiveness in well preserved organisms from cultures could be defi- 

 nitely made out. (In several old cultures of the strains show- 

 ing a few bacilli most were Gram-negative, but a large number 

 of these cells had lost their definite outlines, stained feebly and 

 were considered dead or moribund.) These cultures all had a 

 foul odor. 



