10 FREDERICK EBERSON 



theroids associated with normal and diseased eyes. Large striped or septate 

 bacteria have been found in the nose and in the blood during the course of per- 

 sonal study on this group of organisms. 



B. NODOSUS PARVUS (LUSTGARTEN-MANNABERG) 



Club-shaped organism, disposed at angles or parallel nonmotile, spores 

 absent, slow growth at 37 C. on agar with white appearance, nonpathogenic, 

 facultative. Found in normal human urethra. Migula has changed the name 

 of this bacterium somewhat and calls it B. nodosum. Similar organisms have 

 been isolated from the urine. In one case we have found this organism asso- 

 ciated with a gonorrheal urethritis and in another instance in normal urine. 

 Marked differences have been noted in the acid-forming properties of these 2 

 strains. One gives rise to abundant acid in several sugars and the other fails 

 to attack any of them. They are gram-positive. Hine mentions 11 strains of 

 diphtheroids which he isolated from the urogenital tract. They appeared as 

 large clubbed forms, markedly segmented and exhibited granules, often of large 

 size. They fermented dextrose, saccharose, maltose and dextrin. 



It is suggested that the name Corynebact. nodosum (Migula) be given to these 

 organisms and that B. nodosum parvum lapse into synonymy. 



B. ENDOCARDITIS GRISEUS ( WEICHSELBAUM) 



Flugge classifies this species under the head of pseudodiphtheria. It is a 

 short rod, morphologically resembling B. xerosis. Grows well at room temper- 

 ature, facultative, gram-positive, irregular staining property, is actively motile, 

 glistening growth on mediums, with grayish-white appearance. In streak cul- 

 tures a light brown or. reddish-gray growth is observed. Pathogenic for 

 guinea-pigs and white mice. Rabbits, when injected, show endocarditis. Found 

 on the heart valves in a fatal case of recurrent ulcerative endocarditis. Accord- 

 ing to the suggested definition for diphtheroid this bacillus should be ruled out. 

 The property of motility has not been observed among members of the diph- 

 theria group. 



B. ERYTHEMATIS 



Demme, in 1887, described an organism which caused erythema with death 

 in guinea-pigs. It is a delicate rod, disposed in smaller or larger groups, non- 

 motile, forms spores, grows best at 37 C. but is slow in development, facultative, 

 gram-positive. Flugge has put this bacterium in the diphtheroid group. Apart 

 from the diphtheroid picture which might be seen in a microscopic field because 

 of the configuration in groups and by virtue of the bulging forms due to spores, 

 there is no apparent reason for classifying this species as a diphtheroid. Spore- 

 formation rules the organism out of the group. 



B. RENALIS BOVIS (ENDERLEN) MIGULA 



Rods with thickened ends, nonmotile, gram-positive. In broth, a granular 

 precipitate is formed, the mediums remaining clear. Obligate aerobe. Does 

 not grow at room temperature. A more adequate description is given by Ernst. 

 He isolated the strain from cases of pyelonephritis in cattle. The organism 

 grows poorly as compared with the diphtheria bacterium. Babes-Ernst gran- 

 ules appear much later. It is club-shaped, lancetlike or cylindrical. No growth 

 takes place at room temperature. No acid produced in dextrose and glycerin, 

 no spores, facultative aerobe, nonmotile, gram-positive. Pathogenicity appears 

 doubtful. Ernst was unable to demonstrate virulence for guinea-pigs or rab- 



