[HARRISON J VISCOUS FERMENTATION OF MILK AND BE R 83 



there was a yellow-grey, viscid pellicle. The reaction was slightly 

 alkaline. Cultures in peptone solution 1 per cent with dextrose 4 per 

 cent, or saccharose 4 per cent, or maltose 4 per cent, or glycerine 4 per 

 cent, hehaved like those in lactose. All cultures developed a bad smell. 

 All developed alkalinity, except that in glycerine bouillon, which always 

 remained neutral. 



N"o indol formed in peptone solutions. The organisms grew well 

 with and without oxygen. The cultures in the latter case were just as 

 viscous as those grown in the presence of oxygen. 



The best growth took place at 25° C, there was good growth at 

 15 to 20° C, and also at 37.5° C. 



The growth was better in slightly alkaline than in neutral and 

 acid media. 



The thermal death point was 60° C. for 10 minutes. In cultures 

 the bacilli remained alive from 6 to 8 months. 



Covergiass preparations kept in broad daylight lived from 6 to 8 

 days. 



Group III. Varieties 7 and 8. 



Morphology. — Very motile rods, short and thick with rounded ends, 

 grew singly or in twos with a clear zone between the cells. Chains 

 were seldom found. 



Size. — The bacilli were 1 to 1.5 // long, and 1 to 1.2 yu vï^ide. 

 The differences in size were quite small. The organisms stained well 

 with the ordinary stains, but did not accept Gram's stain. ' With 

 methylene blue and Lugol's solution they stained irregularly, especially 

 in old cultures, but never as irregularly as representatives of Group I. 



Gelatine cultures. — In 24 hours at 20° C. the colonies appeared as 

 small, grey-white shiny points, which gradually became umbonate in 

 Variety 7. They were sometimes watery and clear, and, when old, grey 

 or slightly brown. Variety 8 never became umbonate but remained 

 flat with uneven surface and lobate-lobulate edges. Colonies of both 

 cultures were extremely viscous, and could only be removed from the 

 gelatine in toto. The largest size was about 4 to 6 mm. in diameter. 

 Microscopically, the young colonies were granular, and the centre soon 

 became brown and finally opaque, while the edge remained transparent 

 and granular for a long time. Deep colonies were round, granular 

 when young, but soon became opaque. 



Gelatine stick cultures. — The surface growth was identical with 

 the gelatine colonies. Along the line of puncture a fine, nodose, grey- 

 white growth appeared. The growth never became confluent, but was 

 abundant, even at the bottom of the tube. 



