297 



The Erdmann New Culture Medium for Protozoa. 



C. A. Behrens and H. C. Travelbee — Purdue University. 



It is a well-known fact that the first culture in vitro of a pathogenic 

 trypanosome (Tryponosoma Brucei) was obtained by Novy and Mac- 

 NeaP in 1903. The medium used was a meat extract agar plus two 

 parts of defibrinated rabbit's blood. Of fifty animals tested only 4, or 

 8% positive cultures resulted. In 1905 Smedley', using a similar medium, 

 found that three out of ten attempts, or 30Vc, were successful. 



Because of the inconsistent results we deemed it advisable to at- 

 tempt an improvement of the medium. The first attempts along these 

 lines were in 1909''. The media with their per cent, of positive growths 

 are as follows: 



1 Novy MacNeal blood agar 25% 



lA Novy MacNeal blood 0% 



2 Bean and pea extract blood agar 53% 



2A Bean and pea extract blood 0% 



3 Nicolle blood agar 48% 



3A Nicolle blood 0% 



4 Dialyzed meat extract blood agar 80% 



4A Dialyzed meat extract blood 0% 



5 Dialyzed meat extract dilute serum agar 100%) 



5A Dialyzed meat extract dilute serum 0% 



6 Dialyzed meat extract inactivated serum agar 100% 



6A Dialyzed meat extract inactivated serum 0% 



7 Dialyzed meat extract dilute red blood cells agar 38%- 



7 A Dialyzed meat extract dilute red blood cells 0% 



8 Dialyzed meat extract Ascitic fluid agar 0% 



8A Dialyzed meat extract Ascitic fluid 0% 



9 Veal extract blood minus white blood cells agar 100% 



9 A Veal extract blood minus white blood cells 0% 



iJour. Amer. Med. Assn., 1903, 41, p. 1266: Jour. Infect. Dis., 1904, 1, p. 1. 



= Jour. Hyg., 1905, 5, p. 38. 



3 Jour. Infec. Dis., 1914, 15, 1, p. 4. 



