444 



ORDER IV. EUBACTERIALES 



though strain variations in morphology were 

 noted, Dack et al. (ibid., 180) regarded 

 these variations as insufficient for the differ- 

 entiation of species. Likewise, differences 

 were observed with regard to pathogenicity. 

 When injected subcutaneously into rabbits, 

 various strains of these organisms produced 

 a gradient of virulence which ranged from 

 slightly virulent to lethal. As there is no 

 clear-cut method for separating Sphaero- 

 phorus funduliformis and Sphaerophorvs 

 necrophorus, Dack et al. (loc. cit.) consider 

 these two organisms as constituting a single 

 species, Sphaerophorus necrophorus. 



Source: Isolated from the female genital 

 tract, urinary infections, puerperal infec- 

 tions, acute appendicitis, otitis, pulmonary 

 gangrene, liver abscesses, septicaemias, in- 

 testinal tracts and chronic ulcerative colitis; 

 also isolated from cases of diphtheria in 

 cattle with multiple sclerotic abscesses, 

 from gangrenous dermatitis in horses and 

 mules and from multiple necrotic foci in the 

 livers of cattle and hogs. 



Habitat : Presumably a normal inhabitant 

 of the mucous membranes of man and other 

 animals. 



2. Sphaerophorus inaequalis (Eggerth 

 and Gagnon, 1933) Prevot, 1938. (Bactero- 

 ides inaequalis Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour. 

 Bact., 25, 1933, 407; Prevot, Ann. Inst. 

 Past., 60, 1938, 298.) 



in.ae.qua'lis. L. adj. inaequalis unequal. 



Rods which show wide variation in size 

 and form. Marked pleomorphism on blood 

 agar: some forms are coccoid, 0.5 micron in 

 diameter, while others are slender filaments, 

 3.0 to 12.0 microns long, which are often 

 curved or hooked. On glucose agar and in 

 glucose broth, the cells occur as small ellip- 

 soids, 1.0 to 2.0 microns long, which may 

 form short chains. Non-motile. Show bi- 

 polar staining. Gram-negative. 



Gelatin : No liquefaction in 45 days. 



Blood agar colonies: Pin-point in size. 



Broth: Diffusely clouded. 



Milk: Acidified but not coagulated. 



Indole is produced. 



Hydrogen sulfide is produced. 



Acid but no gas from esculin, amygdalin, 

 arabinose, fructose, galactose, glucose, lac- 

 tose, maltose, mannose, raffinose, salicin, 



sucrose and xylose. No acid or gas from 

 cellobiose, dextrin, glycerol, glycogen, inu- 

 lin, mannitol, melezitose, rhamnose, sor- 

 bitol, starch or trehalose. 



Nitrites not produced from nitrates. 



Anaerobic. 



Non -pathogenic for white mice or rabbits. 



Distinctive characters: Produces a small 

 amount (5 per cent in Smith tube) of gas 

 from peptone water in the complete absence 

 of carbohydrates; none of this gas is ab- 

 sorbed by alkali. Rapidly decolorizes brom 

 cresol purple and phenol red in meat infusion 

 broth; slowly or not at all in peptone water. 



Source: One strain was isolated from hu- 

 man feces. 



Habitat: Probably the intestinal canals 

 of mammals. 



3. Sphaerophorus varius (Eggerth and 

 Gagnon, 1933) Prevot, 1938. {Bacteroides 

 varius Eggerth and Gagnon, Jour. Bact., 25, 

 1933, 409; Prevot, Ann. Inst. Past., 60, 

 1938, 299.) 



va'ri.us. L. adj. varius diverse, varied. 



Slender rods, 1 to 2 microns long, on blood 

 agar; on glucose agar the cells are longer 

 and thicker, measuring 2 to 3 microns in 

 length; ellipsoidal or coccoid forms are 

 found in glucose broth. Non-motile. Shows 

 uneven staining. Gram-negative. 



Gelatin: No liquefaction in 45 days. 



Blood agar colonies: Very flat cones, 2 to 

 3 mm in diameter. 



Broth: Diffusely clouded. 



Milk: Not acidified or coagulated. 



Indole is produced. 



Hydrogen sulfide is produced. 



Acid and gas from fructose, galactose, 

 glucose and mannose. No acid or gas from 

 esculin, amygdalin, arabinose, cellobiose, 

 dextrin, glycerol, glycogen, inulin, lactose, 

 maltose, mannitol, melezitose, raffinose, 

 rhamnose, salicin, sorbitol, starch, sucrose, 

 trehalose or xylose. 



Nitrites not produced from nitrates. 



Anaerobic. 



Non-pathogenic for white mice or rabbits. 



Distinctive characters: Gas is produced 

 from peptone. Brom cresol purple and 

 phenol red are decolorized in a meat infu- 

 sion broth. 



