DEVELOPMENT OF THE BACTERIA. 1 
diameter almost double the ordinary diameter, 
then the protoplasm of the filament to gather 
together at certain points,—a fact clearly made 
out, as in the parts where the protoplasm was 
wanting the bacteria had lost all refractive power. 
Finally, at a later period the poimts occupied by 
the condensed protoplasm augment considerably in 
volume, and form some ovoid organs more or less 
elongated, or swollen into a ball, or in the form 
of a gourd at one extremity. In the interior of 
these sporangia, from three to six spores afterward 
form, clearly defined and highly refractive; then, 
finally, by breaking up of the membranous enve- 
lope the spores become free. 
Toussaint has also followed in the same appar- 
atus — moist and warm chamber of Ranvier — the 
mode of germination of the spores. The follow- 
ing are the most important facts : — 
The spores are at first highly refractive and 
animated by brownien movements; at the end 
of half an hour to an hour, at a temperature of 
37 to 40°, in urine, aqueous humor, or serum, the 
spores lose their refractive power, and their brown- 
ien movements cease almost entirely; then the 
spore assumes an aspect slightly granular, it be- 
comes elongated in the direction of its greatest 
diameter (they are oval). After two hours of culti- 
vation, the bacterium has two or three times the 
dimensions of the primitive spore; the elongation 
makes rapid progress, and four to six hours from 
the commencement of the cultivation, some may 
