BIOLOGY OF CLOSTRIDIUM WELCHII 425 



broken up. One-half cubic centimeter of this emulsion was 

 inoculated into 10 cc. glucose-liver broth tubes (five for each 

 sample) and heated to 80° for fifteen minutes and incubated. 

 Five other tubes were inoculated and incubated directly at 37°. 

 Negative results for the presence of Clostridium Welchii in the 

 normal guinea-pig were obtained. 



To determine the effect of feeding spore and vegetative cultures 

 to adult and young pigs, six experiments were performed, and 

 in no case was the effect fatal. The cultures were mixed with 

 milk alone, and bread and milk. The pigs refused to eat milk 

 alone with Clostridium Welchii, but when mixed with bread, they 

 ate heartily. In the two experiments where the spore cultures 

 were fed there were no apparent disturbance, the pigs seeming 

 as active and healthy as under their normal diet. The feces 

 were normal and hard, and no diarrhea nor intestinal trouble 

 developed. Samples of the feces were analyzed daily for the 

 presence of spores, and vegetative forms. Spores were recovered 

 for three days, after which negative results were obtained. 

 During this time the animals gained weight and seemed to thrive 

 upon their new diet. Two cubic centimeters and 4 cc. of spores 

 were fed from virulent strains to adult guinea-pigs weighing 425 

 and 445 grams respectively, with negative results. 



With vegetative cultures, four experiments were performed 

 using two adult pigs weighing 401 and 449 grams respectively, 

 and two younger pigs, about three months old weighing 270 

 and 260 grams respectively. Feces before feeding did not con- 

 tain Clostridium Welchii. One cubic centimeter and 2 cc. of 

 a highly virulent strain for guinea-pigs were used in the feeding, 

 soaking bread with milk and adding the culture of Clostridium 

 Welchii grown in glucose-liver broth for eight hours. The 

 difference in the age of the pigs did not seem to change the effect 

 on the feeding, for in the fourth pig no discomfort was observed, 

 and a steady gain in weight was recorded. Analysis on the 

 first day showed numerous vegetative forms and the absence of 

 spores in the intestine. The second day after feeding, Clostridium 

 Welchii was recovered in all cases as spore. Negative results 

 were again obtained in five days. 



THE JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY, VOL. V, NO. 4 



