24.S |)I1'hiiii:kia in i'hI'; troimi^s 



presented tlian any description can. Tlicn; is a nnicli greater tendency to retain the 

 Gram stain than is shown in swab preparations direct from the lesions. The individual 



I'ohir UhIIcs rods and the threads have rounded ends, and the former, in specimens stained with Gram, 

 often exhibit polar bodies at either end. These are not spores for a certain number sliow 

 oval, unstained spores in addition, centrally placed in the case of the very short stout 

 rods which then ratlier suggest li. cedematin. Some of the rods appear swollen and 

 spindle-siiaped, tiie spindle retaining tlie Gram stain at either end, while, if counter- 

 stained witli sartVaniii, the body of the spindle has a barred appearance owing to irreguhir 

 staining. The picture presented is not unlike that of an involuted and barred form of 



Miirphology B. diphtherial. Sometimes in such specimens one meets with a faint pink rod thicker 

 at one end than at the other and showing areas of darker staining at either end and at 

 the middle. The size both of rods and chains varies so much that it seems scarcely 

 worth while giving measurements, but the very short rods are about l/j/i in lengtli by 

 ■Oft in breadth, while longer forms range from 3^ to 9/j in length and even more. 

 Beyond tiiis magnitude, however, the appearance is ratlier that of filaments which are 

 unbranched but often sinuous and frequently attain a length of 20// and more. 



Owing to irregular staining and pleomorphism, the organism, in a field stained with 

 Gram and counter-stained with saffranin, presents a fragmented appearance, some of the 

 very small rods looking like chips broken off the longer bacilli or the filaments. Some- 

 times a thread appears studded over here and there with small dark granules, a 

 different appearance from the above-mentioned beading. Generally speaking the organism 

 recalls one of tlie group of sporo-forming, septic, pathogenic anicrobes of which Bacillus 

 oedemafiit, Bacillus icelchii and Hncillng cndaveris sporogenes are notable examples. 

 Unfortunately it was not stained to see if flagella were present. 



Cultitral characteristics. — The organism is, however, not anaerobic — at least it is not 

 an obligative anmrobe, while the possibility of its being a facultative anaerobe has not 

 been tested, i)ut is somewhat discounted by its very free, rapid grow-th under ierol)ic 

 conditions. In broth it produces turbidity, forms a scum and is very foul-smelling with 

 an odour suggestive of putrefaction, a characteristic true also of its growth on agar and 

 blood serum. 



On agar slope it produces a " crinkly " or wrinkled yellowish growth which speedily 

 turns brown, and soon spreads all over the surface of the slant. Blood serum is slowly 

 but completely liquefied. Gas is produced in lactose broth, but neither gas nor acid 

 are found in glucose or mannite broth. A pellicle forms in glucose broth. 



Not fatal for Pathogenicity . — A gerbil inoculated, subcutaneously, with a small quantity of a 24-hours' 



gerbiis broth culture, remained unaffected locally and generally. It had been intended to test 



the effect of this bacillus on the buccal mucous membrane of animals, and more especially 

 of monkeys, but, as stated, this and other work was not carried out, and these are all 

 the facts which have been collected. Hence, one cannot say if it played a part in the 

 pathological picture. 



Medical Officers would do w^ell to be on the look-out for this form of ulceration of tlie 

 oral mucous membrane and the fauces, to note tlie constitutional symptoms, to observe 

 if there is any association of the condition with diphtheria, and to take swabs of any 

 suspicious case and send them to tlie laboratories, where it is hoped this interesting 

 bacillus may one day be more fully investigated than was possible at a time of much 

 stress and severe pressure. 



