SPECIFIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES PRODUCED BY COCCI 223 



Their published investigations still remain practically the only 

 discussion of the etiology to the present time. 



Distribution. The disease is certainly known only from the 

 United States, where it has been reported from many localities, 

 particularly in the northern States. It is probably to be found 

 in other countries, and is believed to be endemic in Asia Minor. 



Morphology and Staining. The M. caprinus occurs in pairs in 

 the blood, and usually shows the same grouping in culture-media, 

 rarely in chains of three or four cells. When in pairs, the cells 

 are somewhat compressed longitudinally. Rarely in the blood 

 they assume the lancet shape characteristic of Str. pneumonias. 

 No capsules are produced. The organism does not stain well 

 with methylene-blue, but heavily with carbol-fuchsin and gentian- 

 violet. It is gram-positive. 



Isolation and Culture. The organism has been isolated directly 

 from the blood upon artificial media. In broth there is first 

 turbidity, followed by sedimentation and 

 clearing up of the medium, tlpon agar 

 slants a white, ceraceous or granular mass 

 of confluent colonies is produced. Colonies 

 on agar reach a diameter of 8 to 10 mm., 

 and appear smooth, white, flatly convex, 



and waxy. When first isolated, liquefaction Fi s- 



cus capnnus in a blood- 

 of gelatin does not occur, but later transfers gmear (Mohler and 



liquefy the gelatin, beginning at the fourth Washburn) . 

 day. Good growth is obtained upon blood- 

 serum and potato. Milk is coagulated, with development of 

 acids and ultimate peptonization. Many of the characters noted 

 relate the organism closely to M. albus. 



Physiology. The organism is aerobic and facultative anae- 

 robic. Blood-heat is the optimum temperature, but develop- 

 ment takes place at room-temperature also. Acids are produced 

 in many carbohydrate media. No indol is produced, but phenol 

 may be demonstrated. The thermal death-point is 58 for ten 

 minutes. The organism is readily destroyed by desiccation and 

 light and by the action of disinfectants. 



Pathogenesis. The exact mechanism of disease production is 

 not understood. It certainly is not by the development of toxins. 



