766 Leprosy 



and assumed a band-like form, with a plateau-like elevation 

 in the center. 



The bacillus thus isolated grew with moderate rapidity 

 upon all the ordinary culture-media except potato. Upon 

 blood-serum the growth was more luxuriant and fluid 

 than upon the solid media. Upon coagulated serum the 

 growth was somewhat dry and elevated, and was frequently 

 so loosely attached to the surface of the medium as to 

 be readily lifted up by the platinum wire. 



The growth was especially luxuriant upon sheep's blood- 

 serum to which 5 per cent, of glycerin was added. The 

 growth upon the Loffler mixture was also luxuriant. 



Upon agar-agar the growth is more meager; it is more 

 luxuriant upon glycerin agar-agar than upon plain agar- 

 agar, the bacterial mass appearing grayish and flatter than 

 upon blood-serum. The growth never extends to the 

 water of condensation to form a floating layer. 



The bacillus develops well upon gelatin after it has grown 

 artificially for a number of generations and become accus- 

 tomed to a saprophytic existence. Upon the surface of gela- 

 tin the growth is, in general, similar to that upon agar-agar. 

 In puncture cultures most of the growth occurs upon the 

 surface to form a whitish, grayish, or yellowish wrinkled 

 layer. Below the surface of the gelatin the growth occurs as 

 a thick, granular column. The medium is not liquefied. 



In bouillon, growth occurs only at the bottom of the tube 

 in the form of a powdery sediment. 



Spronck* believed that he had successfully cultivated the 

 organism upon glycerinized, neutralized potatoes, first seeing 

 the growth after the lapse of ten days. Cultures thus pre- 

 pared were found to be agglutinated by the blood-serum of 

 lepra cases, and he recommends the agglutination test for 

 the diagnosis of obscure cases of the disease. 



Ducrey seems to have cultivated the lepra bacillus in 

 grape-sugar, agar, and in bouillon in vacuo. His results 

 need confirmation. 



Rostf claimed to isolate and cultivate the lepra bacil- 



* "Weekblad van het Nederlandsch Tijdschrift voor geneeskunde," 

 Deel n, 1898, No. 14; abstract "Centralbl. f. Bakt.," etc., xxv, p. 257, 

 1899- 



t"Brit. Med. Jour.," Feb. 22, 1905, and "Indian Med. Gazette," 

 1905. 



