BACILLUS TETANI 99 



cultures made directly from the lesions are usually impure. 

 I have found that very often pure cultures may be obtained by 

 inoculating a guinea pig with the pus or exudate from the local 

 lesion and making cultures from the local lesions in the guinea 

 pig, the juices of the body having destroyed the saprophytic 

 bacteria which were present in the first material. 



Kitasato has recommended a procedure which is reported 

 to be fairly successful. It is to inoculate a tube of agar with 

 tissue from the local lesion, and after it has grown for from 24 

 to 48 hours at a temperature of 37 C. heat the tube to 80 C., 

 which kills all the other bacteria, but does not destroy the 

 tetanus spores. From this culture anaerobic cultures are 

 prepared. 



