The Microscope. 39 



Most of the bacilli when freed from the corpuscle, become sep- 

 arated singly, and float about in the fluid in a somewhat changed 

 and more matured existence. Shreds of the mucous lining 

 membrane also appear having these same bacilli attached or 

 within it, but not as extensively as in the corpuscles. 



Occasional patches of minute micrococci appear, or perhaps 

 the spores of bacilli, yet such spores are not apt to leave the old 

 cell. 



The bacilli, at first, in the corpuscle, appear more regular in 

 form and size, being long-oval or oblong, and the transverse line 

 of division if hardly distinguishable, being so very small, yet if 

 bacilli, this must exist. The minuteness of the cell may be com- 

 pared with B. termo or M. urece although smaller than either, 

 being about 1 m in length or a little short of it, and about two- 

 thirds as thick. It is the shortest of any of the bacilli and 

 thicker than any of the smaller kinds, though not as thick 

 through as the largest. The extreme minuteness makes it a dif- 

 ficult object to examine, to say the least ; yet after all quite 

 plain. When the bacilli are set free from the corpuscle being 

 bursted and destroyed, they change their shape considerably, 

 becoming more obtusely oval and enlarged at one end, and 

 comma pointed at the other. Tho comma point is very short 

 and not always curved with the same angle ; the enlarged end 

 probably has its spore at this stage. It is presumable that the 

 bacilli in this condition have some peculiar wriggling or whirl- 

 ing motion. 



The cell covering of the bacilli appears to be quite firm and 

 tough and may not so easily be destroyed unless more absorbent 

 than most of the bacilli. It ought to reflect light as well as the 

 B. termo and might be seen without staining, although it takes 

 the analine colors readily and staining is essential. It is unlike 

 any of the micrococci, resembling in part in its early period the 

 M. bombyces or an oblong M. septicus, yet even then much 

 more elongated and finally becoming dissimilar in every respect 

 to any of the micrococci. It cannot be classed as a spirillum as 

 it never has a complete spiral and is much shorter and alto- 

 gether different from any known form. It does not in any way 

 resemble any sporular growth of fungi known as such judging 

 from the specimen at hand. It seems to be identical in itself as 



