274 MANUAL OF BACTERIOLOGY. 



resistant of all pathogenic bacteria; they have been known 

 to withstand boiling for twelve minutes, 1 5 per cent, carbolic 

 acid for forty days, and i-iooo bichloride of mercury for 

 nearly three days. The anthrax bacillus is aerobic, although 

 not strictly so. It stains by Gram's method. It grows at 

 the room temperature, but better in the incubator. It 

 liquefies gelatin and blood-serum. Colonies in gelatin seen 



FIG. 71. 



Anthrax bacilli, showing spores. (X 1000.) 



under a low power display numerous, irregular, fine, hair- 

 like projections; stab-cultures in gelatin also present fine 

 projections passing from the needle-puncture into the solid 

 gelatin. It grows on the ordinary culture-media; the 

 growths are usually whitish. Cultures on potato kept in 

 the incubator are particularly favorable to the development 

 of spores. Milk is coagulated and later peptonized. 



1 More than half an hour. V. A. Moore. "Infections Disease of 

 Animals," 1902. 



