758 Tuberculosis 



or two at 37 C. The colonies that form are to be examined 

 for bacilli that resist decolorization with acids. 



Moeller* found it comparatively easy to secure cultures 

 of the smegma bacillus by a peculiar method. To secure 

 small quantities of human serum for the purpose of investi- 

 gating 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 re- 

 mained after most of the serum had been withdrawn.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 37 C., the colonies 

 appeared as minute, dull, grayish- white, dry, rounded scales, 

 which later became lobulated and velvety. At room tem- 

 perature the dry appearance of the growth was retained. 

 The water of condensation remains 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 coagu- 

 lation. 



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 saprophyte. 



MOELLER'S GRASS BACILLUS. 



Bacilli found in milk, butter, timothy hay, cow-dung, etc., 

 which stain like the tubercle bacillus and may be mistaken 

 for it, have been described by Moeller. f The organisms so 

 closely resemble the tubercle bacillus that guinea-pig inocu- 



*"Centralbl. f. Bakt. u. Parasitenk" (Originale), Bd. xxxi, No. 7, 

 p. 278, March 12, 1902. 



t "Deutsche med. Zeitung," 1898, p. 135; "Deutsche med. Wochen- 

 schrift," 1898, p. 376, etc. 



