250 BACTERIOLOGY FOR NURSES 



Morphology and Staining. The organism is a large bacillus 

 measuring from 4 to 9 /A in length and .9 to 1.2 in width. It 

 forms large terminal spores, is motile, and Gram positive. 



Cultivation. Colonies are yellow and coarsely granular, 

 gelatin is liquefied and glucose is fermented with the production 

 of acid and gas. The organism is a strict anaerobe growing best 

 at 22 to 24 C. ; it does not multiply at a temperature above 35 C. 

 Hence growth does not take place in the body. 



Pathogenesis. The poison produced by B. botulinus is a 

 true toxin in the same sense as that of diphtheria or tetanus. It 

 is, however, entirely produced outside of the body. Thus the 

 bacillus occupies an unique position in that it forms its poison only 

 on dead nitrogenous substances. 



Unlike the toxin of diphtheria or tetanus it is poisonous when 

 taken by mouth, absorption evidently taking place from the in- 

 testinal canal. Symptoms of botulism appear after ingestion of 

 the poison in from twenty-four to forty-eight hours and are chiefly 

 the effect of the toxin on the cranial nerves. Dilated pupils, dys- 

 phagia, and sometimes aphagia and aphonia, profuse secretion from 

 the mouth and nose, constipation and retention of urine, and more 

 or less derangement of the cardiac and respiratory centers are 

 apt to occur. 



The toxin is pathogenic for several of the lower animals. It 

 is readily destroyed by heat ; it also deteriorates rather quickly in 

 sunlight. 



Botulism differs mainly from the " meat-poisoning " due to 

 members of the colon-typhoid group in that the poison produced 

 is a true toxin and causes the production of an antitoxin. The 

 causal agent cannot multiply in the body or in the presence of 

 oxygen. Few or no lesions occur in the intestinal canal. 



B. FUSIFORMIS 



The organism has been observed to be constantly present in 

 large numbers in pseudomembranous conditions of the mouth and 

 throat known as " ulceromembranous angina " or " Vincent's 



