692 Tuberculosis 



and are descended from the same original stock. The most important of these 

 similar organisms are Bacillus leprce (q.v,), B. smegmatis, and Moeller's grass 

 bacillus. 



BACILLUS SMEGMATIS 



Alvarez and Tavel,* Matterstock,f Klemperer and Bittu,J Cowie, and 

 others have described peculiar bacilli in smegma taken from the genitals of man 

 and the lower animals, as well as from the moist skin in the folds of the groin, 

 the axillae, and the anus. They are also sometimes found in urine, and 

 occasionally in the saliva and sputum. 



Morphology and Staining. The organisms are of somewhat variable morph- 

 ology, but in general resemble the tubercle bacillus, stain with carbol-fuchsin, as 

 does the tubercle bacillus, and resist the decolorant action of acids. They are, 

 however, decolorized by absolute alcohol, though Moeller declares the smegma 

 bacillus to be absolutely alcohol-proof as well as acid-proof, and admits no tinc- 

 torial difference between it and the tubercle bacillus. The bacillus, being about 

 the size and shape of the tubercle bacillus, is very readily mistaken for it, and its 

 presence in cases of suspected tuberculosis of the genito-urinary apparatus, and 

 in urine and other secretions in which it is likely to be present, may lead to con- 

 siderable confusion. The final differentiation may have to rest upon animal 

 inoculation. 



Cultivation. The cultivation of the smegma bacillus is difficult and was first 

 achieved by Czaplewski.|| Doutrelepont and Matterstock cultivated it upon 

 coagulated hydrocele fluid, but were unable to transplant the growth successfully. 



Novy** recommends the cultivation of the smegma bacillus by inoculating a 

 tube of melted agar-agar cooled to 5oC. with the appropriate material, and 

 mixing with it about 2 cc. of blood withdrawn from a vein of the arm with a 

 sterile hypodermic syringe. The blood-agar mixture is poured into a sterile 

 Petri dish and set aside for a day or two at 37C. The colonies that form are to 

 be examined for bacilli that resist decolorization with acids. 



Moeller ft found it comparatively easy to secure cultures of the smegma bacillus 

 by a peculiar method. To secure small quantities of human serum for the pur- 

 pose of investigating the phenomena of agglutination he applied small cantharidal 

 blisters to the skins of various healthy and other men, and found large numbers of 

 acid-proof bacilli in the serum saturated with epithelial substance, that remained 

 after most of the serum had been withdrawn. He removed the skin covering 

 from the blister, placed it in the remaining serum, and kept it in the incubator for 

 three or four days, after which he found a dry. floating scum, which consisted of 

 enormous numbers of the bacilli, upon the serum. From this growth he was 

 subsequently able to start cultures of the smegma bacillus upon glycerin agar- 

 agar. Human blood-serum is thus found to be the best medium upon which to 

 start the culture. 



Agar. A culture thus isolated grew upon all the usual culture-media. Upon 

 glycerin-agar, at 37C., the colonies appeared as minute, dull, grayish- white, dry, 

 rounded scales, which later became lobulated and velvety. At room tempera- 

 ture the dry appearance of the growth was retained. The water of condensation 

 remained clear. 



Potato. On potato the growth was -luxuriant, grayish, and dull. 



Milk. Milk is said to be an exceptionally good medium, growth taking place 

 in it with rapidity and without coagulation. 



Bouillon. The growth forms a dry white scum upon the surface, the medium 

 remaining clear. 



Pathogenesis. So far as is known, the smegma bacillus is a harmless sapro- 

 phyte. 



* "Archiv de Physiol. norm, et Path.," 1885, No. 7. 



"Mittheil. aus d. med. Klin. d. Univ. zu. Wiirzburg," 1885, Bd. vi. 

 j "Virchow's Archives," v, 103. 



"Journal of Experimental Medicine," 1900-01, vol. v, p. 205. 

 || "Miinchener med. Wochenschrift," 1897. 

 "* "Laboratory Work in Bacteriology," 1899. 



ft " Centralbl. f. Bakt. u. Parasitenk," March 12, 1902, (Originale), Bd.xxxi, 

 No. 7, p. 278. 



