BACILLUS MALLEI AND MISCELLANEOUS BACILLI 343 



for three or four days. Colonies may be obtained on plates of 

 milk agar (i 12) incubated at 37 C. in hydrogen. A high degree 

 of acidity (lactic acid) is produced in the cultures of this organism, 

 and it is employed to some extent in the preparation of acid-milk 

 beverages. 



Bacillus (Proteus) Vulgaris. Hauser in 1885 discovered 

 this organism in putrefying infusions of animal matter. It is an 

 actively motile rod 0.6 n in thickness and exceedingly variable in 

 length, with abundant flagella. Spores have not been observed. 

 It is universally distributed in the soil and is abundant in putrefy- 

 ing flesh. Gelatin is rapidly liquefied. Food poisoning in man 

 has been ascribed to this organism. It is also capable of infecting 

 laboratory animals when injected in large doses. 



Bacillus Pyocyaneus (Pseudomonas Pyocyanea). Gessard 

 in 1882 isolated this organism from green pus. It is a slender 

 rod, actively motile. A soluble blue-green pigment is produced 

 in the cultures. Gelatin is liquefied. Guinea-pigs are susceptible 

 to intraperitoneal inoculation. In man the organism is most 

 common in the pus from wounds, where its presence is considered 

 as only mildly deleterious. The bacillus has also been found in 

 otitis media and a few cases of fatal generalized infection with B. 

 pyocyaneits have been described. 



Bacillus Fluorescens var. Putidus. This non-pathogenic 

 actively motile rod is common in putrefying material. It pro- 

 duces spores when grown on quince jelly. The greenish-yellow 

 pigment is soluble in water. Gelatin is not liquefied. A number 

 of different fluorescing bacilli have been found in the soil and 

 surface waters. Some of them liquefy gelatin. 



Bacillus Violaceus. This is a non-pathogenic water bacterium 

 which produces a pigment of deep violet color. It is actively 

 motile and liquefies gelatin rapidly. The pigment is not soluble 

 in water. Several different bacteria are known which produce 

 a violet pigment. 



Bacillus Cyanogenus (Pseudomonas Syncyanea). This non- 

 pathogenic actively motile organism produces a bluish-black 



